Angel
by Katie Macpherson
Summary: A bitter Jaime Lannister is serving the royal family while his own have left for the Rock. Questioning the honor of the Kingsguard when the king is allowed to commit heinous crimes, the one person who can elicit any feelings from him is Princess Elia. But when rebellion breaks out, Jaime is faced with a choice between his own family and saving the woman he has come to love.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Jaime

He still remembered the first time he had seen her.

He had been barely six and ten at the time and so arrogant already, so idealistic, so naïve about everything the world represented. He had had no idea how the world worked and that there were evil men in it who would seek to stamp out everything bright and beautiful for sheer cruelty, or worse for power and that his own father was one of them.

The sunlight had glanced off her ebony hair and the wind had caught the tresses and tossed them into the air like they were birds' wings in flight. Her golden skin, perfectly colored by the sun was all but glowing and her dazzling smile was framed by her luminous golden brown eyes.

The way her bronzed garments fell against the smooth curves of her body highlighted the grace of every movement and made her seem even more like a work of art.

Never before had Jaime seen a woman so beautiful.

He was only barely out of boyhood when he had seen her, but in that moment, in his youthful naiveté he thought there would never be another woman who would surpass this one in beauty.

Not even Cersei.

What would it be like, he wondered to himself, to have a woman like that in his arms every night? To wake up to her every morning, to spend his life with her?

Surely there would be nothing better, no man would be able to claim a greater prize.

And yet she was to be given to another man.

It was a thought which grated on him for long after she had been married but he never let it show.

He had always been an idealist, someone who wanted to do the right thing for the right reason because it was right but this was Jaime Lannister's first taste that not everything in life would go the way he wanted it to.

His twin had always told him his pretty fantasies were going to hurt him one day. But in truth, his imagination had been all he had been able to hold on to when his mother died and his father became distant and aloof.

Surely there was nothing wrong with that.

It allowed him to escape from his reality sometimes just as sarcasm and constant jests would as well.

His father would often bemoan the fact that his heir did not consider the legacy and name of House Lannister and thought life a joke to be laughed at in the appropriate and more often inappropriate times.

But Jaime had no desire to be a cold unfeeling man like his father and so that was why he expressed a desire to be as sarcastic and impudent as possible.

There were those who often liked him for his somewhat sardonic nature like his brother Tyrion and then there were others who didn't appreciate it like his father.

But there were people of all types who would appreciate and disapprove of him and the man to whom he was squiring had been one of the latter types, at least until Jaime had saved his life on the battlefield and he had knighted him.

Jaime had been squiring for Lord Crakehall when Elia Martell had first come to the capital to wed the crown prince and he had seen her. After receiving his knighthood, he had returned to the capital where his father was currently serving as Hand.

And that was when Aerys decided that Jaime would fit the status of a knight of the Kingsguard very well.

But it truly hadn't been all the mad king's doing. Jaime had been fully intending to return to the Rock to learn to rule it when he stopped back in the capital to see his sister whom he had not seen for years.

It was then that Cersei asked him to become a member of the Kingsguard to replace the late Ser Harlan Grandison. Though it required him to give up his claim to Casterly Rock, Cersei had convinced him it was for the best as she was certain she would be named the wife of Rhaegar Targaryen and in her words, she never wanted them to be separated.

It had taken some convincing…an entire night of it in fact but in the end Jaime had agreed. She had claimed that she would take care of everything and not long after, Jaime received the news from the king that he was to present himself to him immediately where he would say his vows and don his cloak.

But that was the only thing that had gone according to plan.

The moment the cloak was about his shoulders, the king also announced that prince's impending marriage to Elia Martell who would arrive at the capital within a few months.

Immediately all of Cersei's grand schemes were shot to hell for Tywin, incensed that his heir had been stolen from him, resigned his post as Hand immediately and left for the Rock taking Cersei with him.

It was only after they had gone that Jaime realized serving the mad king was not the honorable occupation he had so ardently heard it was. Though the men serving him were honorable they would not intervene when the king did something horrendous.

Burning people alive and taking out their tongues seemed to be a favorite pastime of his and Jaime remembered with a shudder in the last few months when he had been forced to stand outside the king's bedchamber along with Ser Barristan and listen to the man rape the screaming and pleading queen Rhaella.

Her cries had been engraved in Jaime's mind for ever along with Aerys manic laughter as he completed the deed.

He lost count of the many times he had told Ser Barristan that they should be protecting the queen and was informed that they were not to protect her from the king.

 _Where is the honor in this cloak and armor if it means that the king's own family is in danger from his monstrous tendencies?_

Jaime wanted to rip off his cloak right then and would have if it would not have shamed his father a man whose respect still meant everything to Jaime.

It was then that he truly despised both his sister and himself and the king for the terrible role they had all played in bringing this about.

His loathing for Cersei was slow as he tried to justify what she had done by thinking she could not have predicted that Aerys would choose someone else to be Rhaegar's wife, or that their father would have resigned his post in an unholy rage.

But the more he thought about it, the more Jaime longed for Casterly Rock, the place of solitude that he had loved so much growing up.

And he would never go back there to live all because of his sister, himself and the mad king.

He hated them all.

And that was what he had been thinking of as he walked through the gardens that day that the princess from Dorne arrived.

Later on in his life he would think it was a lucky thing that he had been on hand that day to see the arrival of the princess and the woman that would change his life forever.

She had been sitting by herself at the time and Jaime wondered for a moment where the guards were as this was obviously the new princess.

It wasn't until she had turned her head towards him slightly that he was able to take her in and had been momentarily struck dumb.

Elia Martell and her brother Oberyn had come a few times to the rock when Jaime and his sister had been children so they knew each other somewhat but it had been years since the two had seen each other.

Time had been more than generous to her as Jaime no longer felt in command of his tongue when his eyes settled on her.

Her bronzed skin seemed to have been touched by the sun itself as there was no part of it that he could see was untouched. Her ebony glossy curls cascaded down her back like a waterfall and her arms were bare but for the golden bands that decorated her upper arms.

Her dress was one of a burnt orange color and there were jewelled sandals upon her feet. Upon her brow rested a thin circlet of gold with a small amber at its center.

Standing there watching her, it took Jaime a moment to remember who she was. She looked like a perfect work of art sitting there on the bench that it nearly took his breath away.

He would have been content to stand there for the next few minutes just watching her when she suddenly turned and caught sight of him.

Her golden brown eyes widened slightly and she hurriedly but gracefully got to her feet before walking slowly over to him. "Jaime Lannister? Is that you?"

He blinked, momentarily forgetting what he was supposed to say. Perhaps this was what prompted him to be a formal as possible.

"Princess Elia," he said bowing a little stiffly.

She laughed then and it was soft and musical, prompting a warm feeling to rise in the young lion of Lannister. "You called me Elia once when we were children. You can still do that you know?"

Her smile caused him to falter for a moment before he came back to himself.

"You're going to be a queen someday my princess, it would hardly be proper."

This statement caused another musical chuckle to emanate from her. "You always were so proper weren't you? Whenever we visited and our mothers spent time together you would always call me _my lady_ no matter what game we played."

Despite himself a small smile came to Jaime's face. "That was a long time ago princess."

A shadow crossed her beautiful face. "Yes it was. I never saw you after so I never got to tell you how sorry I was about your mother. Lady Joanna was a remarkable woman. I know my own mother took her passing with difficulty."

A shadow crossed Jaime's face and it was with an effort that he managed to continue his façade of calm. "She died a long time ago your grace. She is not suffering anymore."

The look of sorrow on Elia's beautiful face persisted however. "Still, it is not an easy thing to lose a parent. I remember the pain of losing my own mother and such things are not something that one ever truly overcomes."

Jaime wished she would change the subject. He tried not to think of the pain of his mother's loss too much.

Between him and Cersei he had been the closest to her and his uncle had told him when he was a little boy he was never happier when she had hugged him.

He blinked, not wanting to focus on that anymore and searching for a way to change the subject.

Thankfully the princess seemed to pick up on his desire for a new topic and turned the conversation to other things.

"Please don't feel insulted by this," she began. "But even if you are a member of the Kingsguard, I'm glad you're here. It's good to see a familiar face in what's to be my new home. I've very rarely travelled outside f Dorne and to the Westerlands to see your family was one of the few and rare times. And now here I am about to be the queen and I can't help but feel somewhat afraid. So I'm glad to know that there is at least someone that I know who will be here with me."

Jaime blinked, a little surprised by her complete transparency. While it was true that he and Elia had spent a small amount of time together as children, they had never been close for Cersei was very jealous of anyone that Jaime had wanted to spend time with other than her.

Just thinking of his sister and what she had caused to happen with her insatiable desire for power caused confusion and rage to well up in him. He knew he was to blame as well for giving in to her but at the same time, he never would have done it if this was something that she had not planned to ask him.

It had occurred to Jaime sometime after he had donned the cloak and put on the armor that even if his sister had been chosen by Aerys to be the next queen, Jaime never would have been able to be with her the way that he wanted to.

He had begged her after that one night they spent together to run away with him to the Free Cities where they would be able to be together without shame or fear of what anyone else thought.

But she hadn't even considered it.

He knew all his life Cersei had a hold over him. When he was younger he was convinced it was because they were twins and had shared a womb. She had trumpeted that sentiment to him when she didn't want him to have any other playmates and got very angry when he spoke to other girls.

They were two halves of the same person, she was him and he was her.

But it had all been a farce, a lie, a cruel jest by the gods that Jaime didn't believe in that this was happening now.

And here he was standing in the gardens of the Red Keep next to the future queen with the knowledge that he had deflowered his own sister, given up his inheritance for nothing and was sentenced to a lifetime of servitude to a mad king obsessed with fire and magic.

In essence he was livid…..and Jaime had a feeling he would be for a while. His sister wouldn't be queen but she was still getting to go home and be among their own people of Casterly Rock, have a fine match made for her and in essence have the life she wanted.

He would have nothing of what he wanted….but like a fool he only had himself to blame. He hated the fact that he hadn't been able to say no to her and she had used his love for her against him.

She didn't love him all, not really. She saw herself in him and all the things that she couldn't do and she manipulated him. She was damn good at it too, or perhaps he was just craven, bowing to her whims and not having any mind of his own.

Jaime shifted uncomfortably as he realized how long he had allowed Cersei to manipulate him. She got a life by taking away his and there wasn't a thing he could do about it.

He loved Casterly Rock, it had been his home and he had fond memories of swimming in the Sunset Sea and learning how to use a sword there. He had grown up there and been carefully groomed by his father to run the Westerlands when Tywin no longer could.

Jaime knew Tywin favored him and that Cersei resented him for it and perhaps that was why she tried to manipulate him as much as she had and was still trying to do.

Well the only good thing was that his father had returned to the Rock taking Cersei with him and Jaime wouldn't have to see her anymore…see her for what she had become.

 _She would sleep with the king herself if she had any guarantee at all that it would get her more power,_ Jaime thought to himself bitterly.

He had come across her similarly engaged with another noble in the keep while they were here and the pain and disgust that had filled him in that moment left an acrid bitter taste in his mouth.

He had always grown up thinking that he and Cersei were going to leave this world together as they had come into it together…two halves of the same person…only whole when they were together.

And now he was filled with an unspeakable pain and rage because he had inadvertently succeeded in allowing her to destroy any life he might have had.

It was like a bucket of cold water had come crashing down over his head when he had come to her chambers to find her in bed with another man.

Now that he had seen what she had truly become, he could no longer hold back his disgust and had refused to say goodbye to her when she had left.

He didn't think in that moment that he would care if he ever saw her again.

Elia frowned at him. "Are you alright Jaime? You're awfully quiet."

The youngest member of the Kingsguard blinked quickly. He didn't realize he was that easy to read.

"Of course your grace," he replied. "I find myself occupied with many things lately."

"How is your sister?" the princess asked as they walked back to the keep.

Jaime barely restrained himself from grimacing. That was another thing he certainly didn't wish to talk about.

"She was well the last time I spoke with her," he replied. "By now she is on her way to the Westerlands with my father."

Elia frowned. "Lord Lannister is not staying for the wedding?"

Jaime shook his head. "Some problems arose in the Westerlands which forced him to resign his position as Hand and return to Casterly Rock to deal with them."

It was a complete lie, but being a Lannister that was something he did know how to do.

His father's pride had been hurt both by his daughter being denied a queen ship and his son being placed on the Kingsguard.

Tywin had declared he would never serve another Targaryen and had packed up Cersei and left.

Jaime was torn between missing his family as he was the only Lannister in the capital now and complete bitterness for all that had happened to them.

He was apart from his twin whom he had vowed after that night to love for the rest of his life and that love had now turned to ashes in his mouth.

He was bitter and he was angry and at the moment that didn't feel like it was going to go away.

Elia frowned at him. "Are you sure you're alright Jaime? You've never been this quiet before."

The knight laughed and then wanted to grimace at the bitterness and the gall in it. "A lot of things have changed since we were children your grace."

She looked carefully at him. "So it would seem. Sometimes I do wish that we could go back to that time when we were young. We had such fun when we were children. There were no cares of life, no alliances to be made. We could be ourselves and it didn't matter. I miss the simplicity of it all."

Jaime snorted quietly. "We were living a dream your grace. And sooner or later it had to end."

 _Mine just ended sooner than yours._

Elia's searching look continued. "Now you sound as pragmatic as your father. I remember thinking him the most no nonsense man I have ever met. I remember my brother making it his mission when we were children to break his face that seemed to be made of stone.

Despite himself Jaime smirked. In all of his life he couldn't remember his father ever smiling and after a while he had stopped trying to make it happen.

Tywin Lannister would never smile again after the death of Joanna and Jaime had accepted it.

Elia smiled at him and he blinked, suddenly getting the sensation of sunshine. Her smile was absolutely dazzling and seemed to light up her whole face.

He was suddenly reminded that had things been different this might have been his wife who was smiling at him.

Jaime suddenly felt a wave of bitterness for what might have been and swallowed hard. "We had better get you back to the keep your grace. The prince will no doubt be wondering where you are."

She nodded and they slowly began to make their way back through the gardens towards the keep.

Elia suddenly turned to him and smiled. "Do you recall that game we played when we were children?"

He frowned at her. "Which one?"

"I don't recall the name of it," she said furrowing her brow in concentration. "But Cersei and I would play princesses and you would always be the knight."

Jaime chuckled. He did recall that game and whenever he wanted to be Elia's knight as opposed to Cersei's his twin would wait until after they had left before she would become upset with him.

Somehow most of his memories constantly led back to her.

Jaime's smile soured then. He didn't want to think about Cersei.

Any memory of her that he had now was too soured by his anger over what she had asked him to do and how he had given in like craven. By her own actions they were now separated and it was her fault.

He didn't know if he would forgive her or himself for doing it.

By this time they had arrived back at the keep and Jaime could see servants hurrying through the halls in the distance. "You had better return to your chambers your grace. No doubt your servants will be looking for you."

She nodded but before departing, she turned to him once more and smiled. "I'm glad you're here Ser Jaime. After the wedding my brother is leaving and it will be nice to have at least one familiar face in the capital when all my family have gone."

Elia hurried off then, leaving Jaime to stare after her in speculation before returning to his duties.

His heart had warmed slightly when she had said that and to know what he would be able to provide some small comfort to the girl he had known before the mess his life had turned into pleased him a little.

 _She certainly has grown into a beautiful woman,_ he thought. _The Dornish are known for their exotic looks…but I never thought I would see a woman so beautiful. The Prince is a lucky man._

As he left, he felt a certain amount of bitterness that there were others who would get to do what he never did.

All he had wanted was to be with the woman he loved and by her and his machinations it had been ripped away from both of them.

He didn't know if that was something he would be able to forgive.

At the moment he didn't have to though. All he had to do was ensure that he did his duty to the royal family and not succumb to bitterness.

It seemed a daunting task but it was one he would have to do.

There would be a time coming however when his bitterness would be replaced with an unholy rage that would compel him to act and to return some semblance of his honor.

He just didn't know it yet.

Ω

 **Okay, so I know I said I would hold off on this idea for the time being, however this was one story I felt so completely strong about that I had to post it. In the meanwhile, please check my bio for my other story ideas so you can see what will be worked on after my other projects are completed. Don't forget to review and happy reading everyone!**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Jaime

The wedding of Princess Elia to Prince Rhaegar was to be one of the most elaborate events he had ever seen.

He had been to weddings before in Casterly Rock when some of his cousins had been wed to other cousins or different men and women from all over Westeros and he had always hated them as he found them to be unbearably tedious. The septon would drone on and on about the vows one was making before the gods, cursing all those who would dare try and pull the two apart and then citing that the wrath of the gods was a terrible thing to fall under.

Jaime recalled not being able to pay attention to any of them because he was so bored and only wanted the festivities that came after to begin.

But the wedding for the princess of Dorne to the dragon prince that would be happening soon irritated him for a wholly different reason.

Over the past few weeks that the princess had been in the capital and the nobles began arriving for the wedding, Jaime and Elia had had a few conversations.

Something that had proved to be rather surprising to the young lion of Lannister was the fact that Aerys had assigned him to guard the new princess personally and so as Ser Arthur Dayne was Prince Rhaegar's sworn shield, Jaime was Elia's.

He wasn't quite sure what he thought of that.

Elia brought up too many long buried memories of the past. She reminded him of a time before all the pain in his life had been realized and he had been ignorant of the world with such dreams. He was only six and ten now and she was slightly older than him but she seemed to have an innocence that hadn't been soured by bitterness the way he had been.

Her grace, and beauty and kindness was like a breath of fresh air and at the same time like the most painful lancing wound as Jaime knew there wouldn't be a woman like that for him.

He was allowed to watch a woman like that every day but never allowed to touch or hold a woman like that.

And it grated on him in ways that no one else was able to imagine.

As much as he was disgusted with what she had done, there were times in those few weeks where he did miss his sister. He didn't miss her manipulations but he did miss the way she always had a plan. He missed how bold she was about certain things. She was his older sister and they had had such fun together when they were children.

He also missed his little brother Tyrion.

His younger brother had a way of making him laugh the way no one else would. He was crude and somewhat vulgar, but Jaime liked his honesty.

Tyrion had a way of being brutally honest with Jaime that he wasn't anywhere else. He also had a sarcastic streak that Jaime knew he hadn't gotten from Tywin. As much as his father and Cersei belittled and mocked him, Jaime had not cared about Tyrion's stature or that their mother had died giving birth to him.

He had always been his little brother and growing up, Jaime had made it his mission in life to try and protect Tyrion as he had had no one else to do so.

Cersei hated him, both for the fact that it was due to his birth that Joanna had died and because he was not as beautiful as she and Jaime. She and her brother had been known as Tywin's golden twins but she had grown resentful as it was obvious that Jaime was Tywin's favorite.

During those few weeks that he had been in the capital as a member of the Kingsguard, Jaime had begun to realize that her convincing him to become a sworn brother had as much to do with her own power over him as it had with convincing Tywin that she was better than her brother because she would be a queen who would give him more power and Jaime would simply serve her.

And when that conclusion entered Jaime's mind, he hated her all the more.

All the love he had had for her turned to ashes in his mouth and there were times when he would follow the king and his sworn brother about the keep that he wishes she were here so he might take her neck in his hands and crush the breath from her.

Taking a vow to protect his sister was something he had sworn when he became a knight, but Jaime didn't see her as his sister anymore.

She was a monster and a vicious harpy that had taken his happiness from him and though her plans hadn't quite worked in her favor, he had gotten the raw end of the deal.

His rather grim countenance and somewhat stone faced expressions had not gone unnoticed by others as this realization had registered with him and so one day when Elia had wanted to go down to the shore line overlooking the city to be alone, she decided to pick up on it.

"You're awfully quiet Jaime," she said as she sat there on one of the rocks overlooking the ocean and he stood beside her, hand on the hilt of his sword.

He glanced down at her and wanted to grimace. In public and when they were around other members of the royal family and she needed to speak to him or ask him to do something for her, she always called him Ser. But when they were alone…it was just Jaime.

And he didn't know how to feel about that.

They had known each other as children but at the same time, he wasn't sure if they had had as much of a familiar relationship for them to be on a first name basis.

At least he didn't think so.

But that didn't seem to be the case with Elia. When he would follow her through the gardens or throughout the keep and they were alone she would call him Jaime and seemed to be perfectly at ease doing it.

He had been standing at the door of the room where Princess Elia had gone to have her last dress fitting before the wedding and was a little surprised when it was over for her to tell him that she wanted to go down to the shore.

Something he had learned about her in the last few weeks that she had been a part of the keep, was that though she was sweet, compassionate and a very gentle person, she was one of the only Martell siblings that craved alone time.

After a day of meeting the nobles she would one day rule over, all Elia liked to do was go for walks in the gardens, or down to the shoreline so she might put her feet in the water.

When he had questioned her on why she liked to do such things, Elia had confided in him that there were times when she missed Dorne and Sunspear a great deal and when she and her brothers were children, she and Oberyn had liked to go swimming in the water because it was so hot.

She wouldn't be able to do that as much as she was going to be a queen here, so she wanted to take as much advantage as she could now before she became a queen.

After observing Rhaella a good deal, she had seemed rather concerned about the queen and had seemed to solidify it in her own heart that she wished to be a different ruler.

He admired her a good deal for that.

But of course it was something he would never say.

The knight stared out at the slow moving current of Blackwater bay as the sun was beginning to go down and contemplated the princess's words for a moment.

"I simply have nothing to say your grace," he said calmly.

She frowned at him. "Nothing at all? When we were children, you always had something to say. If I recall my brother told me when we were returning home that you were someone who never knew when to be silent."

Despite himself, Jaime smirked.

His father had often told him that his smart mouth was going to get him into a lot of trouble one day but truthfully, Jaime had had no desire to be as cold and as bitter as Tywin Lannister. His father was a man who was driven by his name only and deep down inside, the blonde wished to be a man who was guided by more than just his name.

He would never admit it, but he was someone who was ruled by his heart, which was why it had been so easy for Cersei to manipulate him.

It was all the more damning too because he was someone who had been told especially by his brother that he felt things deeply, more deeply than anyone Tyrion had ever known.

And so Jaime tried to cover it up with sarcasm and as much attitude as he could manage. It was just easier that way.

Especially lately he had been layering it on quite thick.  
It was only when he was alone with his thoughts that the grimness and the bitterness returned and he felt the searing rage in his veins so deep that he felt it might tear through him.

"I always did have a big mouth," he said.

Elia smiled at him. "You did and whenever you and I and my brother and your brother played together you were always the easiest to hear. You never knew when to keep your mouth closed and as long as I've known you, you were impetuous to the tenth degree and always had a smile on your face. But now you don't, or if you do, it's sarcastic. Why?"

For a moment, Jaime was stunned. He didn't think that she had picked up that much about him but it seems he was wrong.

As much as she seemed to know about him however, he also knew that she was someone who was very observant.

She had an innate quality to be able to look into a person's eyes and know what they were feeling.

And that made her a little unnerving to be around.

Despite the grim manner that he usually displayed around her, Jaime always felt a little uncomfortable when he was in her presence. She had a compassionate nature that almost made him feel vulnerable even when they weren't talking. And feeling vulnerable was something that he did not like at all.

Aside from the vulnerability, she had blossomed into the most beautiful woman he had ever seen and in the last few weeks, he had been ordered to watch her at all times so it made not noticing her enchanting eyes or her exquisite face all the more difficult.

More than once he wondered if the gods did in fact exist because they were cursing him with constant knowledge of what he couldn't have.

Jaime didn't answer her, because he really couldn't. There was absolutely no way in the seven hells that he was going to tell her that she was one of the many reasons for his torment and that he had, through his own stupidity voluntarily agreed to serve a man who would burn people alive for his own amusement.

The irony of what he was doing now and how they had been brought together again was grating on him constantly and she was one of the hardest people to see in this position.

"At this moment, there is no reason to smile your grace," he said. "I can't smile all the time. The sun would become envious then."

It was weak and he knew it but when he saw her smile at him, he relaxed. "There is it. There is the sarcasm and arrogance I know so well."

"Arrogance your grace," the knight replied, feeling a little relieved that the conversation was back to a topic that he could handle. "If you claim to know me at all, than you would know that I only tell the truth. It is one of my many rare qualities."

Elia laughed then and the sound was like music to his ears. "I suppose there is some realism to that. You always told the truth, no matter if it was only truth to you or how much it would annoy others. You and my brother both have that irritating quality."

Jaime raised an eyebrow.

The only difference was that Prince Oberyn was still living his life as he chose and here he was, only six and ten and bitter and angry about what life had given him and knowing he had no one to blame but himself and his sister for what they had both done.

"How is Prince Oberyn?" he asked, glad for the opening to change the subject.

She looked at him for a long moment, obviously knowing what he was doing but she acquiesced all the same. "He is well. Have you not spoken with him since he has been here?"

He shook his head.

Prince Oberyn Martell possessed all the virile quality of a large carnivorous cat that Jaime remembered.

Even when they had been children, Oberyn had been as brash as Jaime had been and the both of them valued family above all else.

But while Jaime hadn't been able to imagine any other woman in his life but Cersei, Oberyn lay in the beds of anyone he could find, women, men it didn't matter and rumor had it that he had a few bastards back in Dorne which had been conceived on his many travels.

A man with that sort of confidence and the skill with the blade to back it up was someone who was dangerous and not to be underestimated.

In truth, Jaime was a little glad he hadn't spoken with him, because in many ways he both admired Oberyn and was made uneasy by him.

It was just better if he were to keep his distance. The man had a knack for rubbing people the wrong way and sometimes the aftermath of such occurrences wasn't pretty.

Knowing that, it was better to just stay away.

But that was the attitude Jaime was taking with everyone lately.

The only reason he had spoken with Elia at all was because he was assigned to her personally.

Other than that, he had spoken with Ser Arthur as there were times when Prince Rhaegar and Princess Elia would walk together which would require them to walk side by side.

The odd time the prince would speak with him but those times were few and far between.

And Jaime did his utmost to stay out of the way of Aerys. He was a man drunk on power and Jaime had had a feeling that the only reason the king had agreed to appoint him to the Kingsguard was because it would deprive his father of his heir and humiliate Tywin at the same time as well as show the Lannisters who was in control.

Aerys had been insanely jealous of his father since Ser Ilyn Payne had made the remark that it was really Tywin ruling the Seven Kingdoms and not Aerys.

His tongue had been removed for his loose words but at the same time Aerys had wanted to ensure that the rest of the realm knew that it was he who was really ruling and that it was Tywin that served him and not the other way around.

Now Jaime could add that to his list of never ending regrets about putting on this thrice damned cloak.

When he had first been raised up as a member he had never felt more proud as he had always had dreams and ideals of being a knight. But when he realized the sheer motive and intent behind what Aerys and his sister had done…he had never felt so cheated and used.

But what was he to do?

His duty, just as he had always done.

Elia turned her attention out towards the bay watching the waves roll in and sighed quietly, causing Jaime to look sideways at her. "Are you well your grace?"

She nodded. "There are times when I am near the water that I really do miss my home. Sunspear was always so bright and colorful and I do miss the shoreline where I once swam in the water all day. Perhaps I just simply miss being a child."

"Are you unhappy here your grace?" he asked, a little surprised by the fact that her answer meant something to him.

"No," she replied. "At least I don't think so. It is a great honor to be chosen to be the next queen and it is not something I will ever overlook. I just didn't think it would be this difficult being away from my home."

 _Neither did I princess…neither did I._

He had no idea where the words came from, but he spoke them anyway. "What was it like growing up in Sunspear? You came to visit us at Casterly Rock, but unfortunately the journey south to Dorne was never made."

Elia smiled. "I know. I got to see your home but you never got to see mine. I think you might have liked it. When winter does come to Westeros, we see very little of it. I can count the number of times on one hand that I have seen snow in my life and when it did come, it was always a city wide spectacle. People would gather in the streets to watch it come down upon their hands. It was cool to the touch and though it would be gone in a few days people would talk about it for longer."

"We always did tend to get a good deal more snow in the Westerlands than other parts of the Reach or the capital did," Jaime noted. "My sister, my brother and I would always

play in it when we were small."

The snow was one of the few memories he had of them playing all together and there was very little strife between them then.

"We never did have enough to play games with it as I am sure the rest of the country would have," Elia said. "But we did enjoy it nonetheless."

"I don't think you would have enjoyed the snow if it stayed for too long princess," Jaime said with a smirk. "The only reason, Tyrion and Cersei and I liked it as much as we did is because of the novelty of it all. After a few hours of playing in it, we were all tired and wanted to go inside because our hands were cold."

"You didn't wrap up in warm clothes?" Elia asked.

Jaime chuckled. "We were too excited and I was amazed that Tyrion and I didn't catch our death. As it was my sister was bedridden for the next three days coughing and sneezing. Neither she nor our father was very happy about that."

Elia laughed and the musical sound of it once more caught Jaime off guard. She had the ability to make him want to smile when she laughed and he didn't know why.

"Cersei always was the demanding sort," she said still chuckling. "She would always lead a game when the two of us would play together and I recall when we were children the strangest thing happened as a result of her leadership."

Jaime frowned. "What was that?"

Elia settled herself back down on the rock and wrapped her hands around her knees. She didn't say anything for a moment but given the fact that the sun was going down, the moon was beginning to rise and the wind from the water was beginning to pick.

Noting the goosebumps rising on her skin, Jaime quickly removed the white cloak upon his back and placed it about her shoulders.

At the soft heavy material coming down about her, Elia looked up in surprise before offering the young knight a beatific smile. He nodded at her, doing his best to pretend that her smile didn't affect him in some inconceivable way.

There would be time to discover that later.

"Well," Elia began after the long silence had concluded. "Cersei had heard there was a witch in the forest near Casterly Rock and so on the last time I visited you, when we were ten I believe she talked me into going with her to see if this was in fact true."

She had his attention now. "And was there?"

Elia nodded. "There was. I don't know where Cersei got the bravery to decide she wanted to go into that forest when we were only eleven years old but there was a fire in her eyes that would not be put out. So we went. I still recall the hut, it was the oldest most broken down piece of living space that I had ever seen. It was nestled at the base of an enormous old gnarled tree with branches and it must have been at least two centuries old.

"At that point I wanted to turn back, but not Cersei. She marched right up to the door of the hut and pushed her way in with me hesitantly following but not willing to be left behind in what was an incredibly eerie forest."

Despite himself, Jaime released a small smile. _That does sound like Cersei._

"It was very small and cramped and hot inside of the hut and the first thing that Cersei and I saw was a woman sitting by a small fire in a patchwork chair fast asleep.

"I whispered to Cersei that we should probably leave but she insisted that she wasn't going anywhere the witch had told the future of her life. In the midst of our arguing the witch awoke and demanded that we leave. But Cersei wasn't having any of it and said that since the witch was on her father's land and threatened that she would have her eyes put out if she refused to grant her the request of telling her future."

 _That does sound like Cersei too._

"Finally the witch agreed, but she mocked Cersei as well, telling her that she wouldn't like what she had to say."

"What happened next?" Jaime asked. His sister had never told him this story and now he was beginning to wonder why.

"The witch let Cersei ask her three questions. The first was that Cersei wanted to know if she would marry the crown prince as she had told me so many times that her father had promised her she would. The witch told her that she wouldn't marry the prince, but that she would marry the king.

"Cersei then asked whether or not she would be a queen someday. The witch confirmed it but also told her that in time she would be cast down by another queen who would be younger and more beautiful than her and this queen would take all she would hold most dear. And finally Cersei asked if she and the king would have children to which the woman answered that the king would have twenty children but Cersei would only have three. Cersei didn't seem to think that that made a good deal of sense and to be honest I didn't either. All I wanted was to get out of there."

Elia chuckled then, her voice having taken on a tone that was far away and nostalgic.

"What happened after?" Jaime asked curiously, having forgotten all about himself and the bitterness and rage that were his constant companions.

"The witch went on to say that of the three children Cersei would have, that gold would be their crowns and gold would be their burial shrouds.

"I remember feeling a chill on my skin when she said the words and Cersei opened her mouth to demand more answers but the moment the words leapt to her tongue we both gasped…for the which had melted away into shadow and completely disappeared."

Jaime frowned, now realizing why his sister hadn't told him this story. But her own words she must have attempted to prevent this vision or future from happening and so had tried her hardest to marry the prince.

He didn't believe in prophecies or visions of the future himself but he did have to admit that such a prediction about his sister's life did sound ominous.

"With all due respect your grace," he said. "That all sounds like nonsense, the ravings of a mad woman."

Elia smiled. "I wanted to think so to and so when we went back to the Rock and Cersei swore me to secrecy I agreed because I was eager to put it behind me. The following day we left and I never saw Cersei again."

Her words died away to silence and as the moon rose over the Blackwater Bay, shining like a spotlight on both of them, there didn't seem to be anything further to say.

The past…it certainly did have a way of haunting people in more ways than one. How much of his sister's whole life had been ruled by this prophecy?

 _Would Cersei really be such a fool as to believe such nonsense?_ Jaime wondered to himself. He somehow knew deep in his heart that Elia was not lying. He did not think her capable of such a thing.

He didn't believe in gods or prophecies or visions from the future and the way his sister had always talked he didn't think she believed in them either.

 _If the gods are real I would probably curse them to the seven hells for their cruel jokes and the way they like to play with us humans._

Jaime glanced at the moon and how it rose into the sky, hearing the waves crashing against the shoreline of the bay and glanced down at the princess sitting on the rock in front of him who suddenly looked so small wrapped in his cloak.

She looked as if she were almost wrapped in a shroud herself.

He shivered slightly at the comparisons and then cleared his throat. "We had best be getting back to the keep now your grace. Tomorrow is a big day."

Elia jerked slightly as if he had pulled her from her own thoughts and got to her feet. "That is a good idea. Thank you Ser Jaime."

They walked back to the keep in silence, Jaime following behind her, lost in the caverns of his own mind.

He didn't know what to make of what Elia had told him.

He supposed it didn't matter at any rate. Cersei had gone to see the witch years ago and she was not marrying the prince, so there was no chance for her to be a queen one day. That alone should teach her not to believe in petty fantasies and foolish notions.

Elia was silent as well but he was sure it was for a wholly different reason.

She was to marry the prince tomorrow and the weight of such a huge life change was surely enough to be heavy on anyone's mind.

He watched her as she walked ahead of him and noted her slender frame beneath his cloak. It almost looked as if she were protected beneath it.

In that moment he realized deep down that he liked to see her protected and he didn't know why but it did please him that he was the one who would be able to do it.

At least this would be something that he would be able to do now that he had the unfortunate task of serving a mad man.

She would me marrying another man but at the very least he was glad that there was a friendly face there as well.

In time, she would become more than simply a friendly face however.

In time, she would become someone that he would sacrifice for…kill for…even die for.

And that time wasn't far away.

Ω

 **So I am aware that it was not Elia who went with Cersei to see the witch, it was Melara Heatherspoon. But for the purposes of this story, I decided that it would be Elia who would go with her and that they would be much younger when it happened. Cersei's always been the rather demanding sort so I don't think that this is something that would have been different when she was younger. She's always wanted power, she's always wanted control and so I don`t think that this would have been different. I am also aware of the fact that Elia was a few years older than Jaime when he joined the Kingsguard when he was around the age of fifteen or sixteen. Again however for this story I have made her slightly younger and she is around the age of seventeen perhaps slightly younger. I always felt that Elia was someone who suffered horribly for her husband`s foolish mistakes and if anyone deserved to be rescued it should have been here. So that is what this story is going to be about. I think around chapter 6 or 7 is when the rebellion will kick in and that is when things will be getting interesting. The next three or four chapters will be straight character building as well as working on the relationship between Jaime and Elia. Their trust towards each other is going to be key for what will happen. Don`t forget to review and happy reading everyone!**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Elia

She had never felt so alone in her life.

Marrying was a political manoeuvre for those daughters of great houses and she was by no means a fool to think that it was a fate she would be able to escape.

She just didn't think that she would need to go so far from her home to do it.

Becoming a queen someday was an attractive concept to her, who wouldn't want something like that after all?

But at the same time, Elia had never felt as truly alone as she did when she came to King's Landing and saw the hungry look in the eyes of the nobles, not only did it have to do with her physically but also to do with how they could exploit the new queen and use her to their advantage.

She had been a princess her entire life but being a queen? That was something she had only dreamed about.

And now here she was, about to be married to the most handsome man in the seven kingdoms and to be a queen someday.

That should have been cause to fill her with joy and hope for the future…yet all it did was instill a deep dread in her.

She had been excited when they had started out from Dorne to come here, but as soon as they had rolled into the capital, she had felt a feeling like ice water in her veins and it hadn't gone away no matter the fact that her brother was with her or Lady Ashara Dayne from Starfall who was a childhood companion.

She had sat for hours in the gardens on the day she had arrived, trying to compare it to the ones in Dorne and coming up short and feeling a sense of utter loneliness come over her.

There was an ill feeling she received as she walked about the keep down the halls and through the gardens that said this place was dangerous and that the best thing she should do would be to get back into the wheelhouse and return to Dorne with all haste.

Of course she dismissed those feelings as hysteria and foolish about her missing home and not being able to go back for a while, but still they persisted.

She was just glad Ashara was here. The Dayne girl was someone Elia had been remarkably pleased to know would be coming with her. Having known her since they were children she would be the only person that Elia would trust in the capital.

The king terrified her as he looked her over with his greedy violet eyes and smiled a smile that was all teeth, saying she would do nicely for his son.

Oberyn had tensed beside her, but she had grabbed his hand to prevent him from saying something stupid. Oberyn had an explosive temper that was one day going to get him killed. She was just glad her brother was a formidable almost legendary warrior and was likely to win every single fight that he had engaged in or would engage in. However one against the king he would not be able to win and so she had thanked all of the seven gods that he had been compelled to keep his mouth closed.

When they had been shown to their rooms she had been hard pressed for him to keep his voice down, but at least it was in the privacy of their own room.

At least Prince Rhaegar had seemed genial and had taken her for a walk about the gardens of the keep to get to know her better. But he had seemed…distant.

Elia couldn't blame him, he was to be the king someday and there would be a lot of things on his mind. But she did hope from the bottom of her heart that they might be able to love each other someday.

She wasn't foolish enough to think that it would be love at first sight but was it wrong to hope for a mutual understanding and respect from one another?

She didn't think so, so it made her a little disappointed that the only other person that she seemed to have developed a rapport with was Ser Jaime.

Seeing the knight had been a surprise to her. She hadn't seen him since they were still children and it had been at least six years since then. She had only been one year older than him but seeing as how his mother Joanna and her own Ariella had been very good friends it was more than probable before the lady had died that she and Jaime might have married.

Elia wanted to grimace now as she remembered how rudely she and Oberyn were treated by Jaime's father when they had come to the Rock after Lady Joanna had died.

She still remembered Oberyn's rage when they had left after Tywin Lannister had mockingly suggested that she marry his dwarf son Tyrion.

It was an insult her brother had never forgotten.

Oberyn was older than her by a few years and as such he was very protective of her so to suggest that she marry a half man was seen as such a great misconduct, he had despised Tywin Lannister since.

It was therefore something he was unbearably smug about when the king had sent word from the capital that he was choosing her for his son.

As far as he was concerned it was a slap in the fact to the Lannisters who had looked on the Martell siblings with disdain and just rewards for the way Tywin Lannister had humiliated them.

Her brother often took great pride in the Martell name. Unbowed…unbent…unbroken…that was what they were.

They were the only region of Westeros that had never been conquered…by the Targaryens or otherwise and now to know that his sister would one day be a queen…well that brought things full circle as far as he was concerned and made Oberyn beyond smug.

Rumor had it that Tywin Lannister had already left for Casterly Rock as soon as his heir had been taken from him and his daughter denied a queenship.

Elia had kept her own feelings on that matter private. She was secretly glad she wouldn't be surrounded by lions while she was in King's Landing.

The only lion that she had developed any sort of friendliness for was Ser Jaime as she had known him the best when they were children.

His sister she had always thought of as a vicious harpy who had always had such control over his brother that she never let him do anything on his own or have a mind of his own or even make his own choices at times.

The times that he did…well those were the times that she would scream at him and storm off in a huff.

Their times of play became far more fun after she was gone.

Jaime most likely wouldn't admit it, but she saw him smile a lot more when his sister wasn't there.

Elia could tell the two of them loved each other just as much as Oberyn and her loved each other, but she could always tell that it was a different sort of love between Tywin Lannister's golden twins.

With her and Oberyn, her brother was fiercely overprotective and did everything without thinking no matter how insane or ludicrous. He would die for her, he would kill for her but he let her make her own choices.

With the twins…it wasn't like that. For them even as children it seemed to be all about control. Cersei commanded everything that Jaime did and if he did something that was not to her liking the argument that would ensue would make her want her want to cover her ears and run away.

Oberyn had confessed to her on their last trip home from the Rock that he had had a head ache from Cersei's screaming.

Elia chuckled and said she felt the same way.

Thankfully they had not been back to the Rock since and her memories of playing with Jaime had become a distant memory. She had returned to her own training as a lady even though Dornish customs of becoming a lady were far different than the rest of Westeros.

And now she was seven and ten and about to become a queen of Westeros.

She was still shell shocked from it all and feeling more than a little overwhelmed.

That was why after she had been settled into her rooms and her brother had gone off to see their uncle Lewyn Martell, had Elia slipped away to go for a walk in the gardens to clear her mind.

But she had barely been there for ten minutes when someone from her past had stumbled upon her.

Truthfully she had never expected to see Jaime Lannister again.

When they had left the Rock at ten years of age, after spending only a certain amount of time there after being rudely received by Lord Tywin and her going on that walk in the woods with Cersei, she thought she had bid goodbye to the young lion for the final time.

And now here he was…a member of the Kingsguard it seemed and the youngest member of their order.

Knowing that both Tywin and Cersei were gone was something that was relieving. She was glad because that was a stress that she did not need.

But knowing that Jaime would be here…well that was interesting to say the least. Of the Lannister siblings, he had always been her favorite. He was just a carefree boy no much younger than she was and his youngest brother Tyrion while sweet enough was still just a little boy who would sometimes toddle after them and want to do what they did.

Despite his size and his apparent lack of beauty, Jaime had loved his little brother as much as if he were a whole man and nothing their father or their sister did changed that.

She remembered him being the only one who was kind to Tyrion during their stay in the Rock and that was something that had firmly begun to provide contrasts in her mind between Jaime and the other Lannisters.

Lord Tywin and Cersei were always so cold and controlling and the air of frigidity in their home was something she had felt in a tangible manner.

But Jaime had been the carefree, sarcastic, arrogant ray of sunshine that he had always been and Elia had always appreciated that about him.

It was nice to know that he would be there in King's Landing now so she would know all about the time that had passed since they had last seen each other.

She was even more pleased when she learned that Jaime was going to be assigned to her personally as her sworn shield just as Ser Arthur Dayne was Rhaegar's.

And so the weeks had passed where she had spent time with Rhaegar on their walks throughout the gardens and Arthur and Jaime had followed them.

The prince was polite and cordial enough but that was all. His eyes seemed to brighten when he saw her for the first time so she took pleasure in that.

Even by Dornish standards she was a beauty. She had been somewhat frail when she was born and the maesters were not sure she would live but she had pulled through.

From there, she had grown into the sort of woman men would openly stare at in the streets. Her rich brown eyes were shot through with flecks of gold and her caramel colored skin was kissed by the sun. Her hair, while not as black as her brothers was still quite dark and glossy with curls.

She had the sort of curves that all men longed to hold and all women longed to have but she was still slender.

All in all she was an exotic beauty, the prize sun of Dorne and the one thing that both of her brothers had been reluctant to part with.

But the notion of there being a Martell queen was too good to pass up and so Doran had packed her and her brother up and sent her to King's Landing where she would wed the king's son in a few weeks' time.

She had seen many people cast leering looks her way when she was here and they had made her uncomfortable.

People thought simply because she was Dornish that that meant she was as provocative as some of the Dornish whores in the brothels of the capital.

But the truth was, Elia was the farthest thing from it. True she knew a little more than most women did on the matters of the bed chamber and what went on between a man and a woman but that was really the long and short of it.

All she wanted with this marriage to the prince was to be a good wife and a good mother and a good queen.

Surely those weren't high goals were they?

Thankfully Ashara was good at distracting her from her nerves and anxieties and hadn't left her for a moment since she had arrived.

Well not since she had gone on those two walks with Ser Jaime following slowly behind her. Normally the idea of someone following her around constantly and watching her every move would have made her nervous but she found with Ser Jaime…it made her feel oddly safe, something she didn't understand and yet didn't know how to understand and wasn't even sure if she wanted to understand.

But having his presence behind her everywhere she went made her feel oddly safe.

Oberyn would leave soon after the wedding and she would be here alone with Ashara as her only companion and spending time among dragons that she did not know.

And Aerys….

Gods but the king was a menace.

Elia had heard rumors about what he had done to people while she was still in Dorne but she had believed them to be just that…rumors.

But now…standing before him and looking into his mad violet eyes as they had raked her form, Elia understood that no one had been lying…no one had been playing tricks…she was to be this man's daughter before a moon was out and the thought of that terrified her.

At least her new mother was kind.

Rhaella Targaryen had known her own mother before Ariella had passed and the two of them, along with Lady Joanna Lannister had always been on good terms.

Still it was comforting to know someone who told her stories of her mother and all of the tales they had gotten into when they were only girls…before the world turned so dark and cold and two in their number died.

Queen Rhaella looked tired and the first thing Elia noted besides her beauty was her fatigue.

She imagined what the king might have done to make that exhaustion a permanent part of his queen's expression and shuddered.

Aerys was truly a mad man.

Still…Rhaella seemed glad to see her.

"By the seven my dear, you have evolved into a beauty just like your mother was," the dragon queen said when Elia visited her chambers a week after she had arrived in King's Landing. "No…now that I see you fully you are far more beautiful than your mother."

Elia had the good sense to blush gracefully. "Thank you your grace."

"Now tell me child," the queen said as she lifted her tea to her lips and drank deeply. "How has your stay been thus far?"

Elia bit her lip and wondered if she should tell her all about how much concerned her, how much worried her or even perhaps how nervous she was to be so far from her home without her family.

Her brothers had always been fiercely over protective of her, Doran less so than Oberyn but then being the youngest with two older brothers did tend to inspire a rather protective nature in them.

But then Doran was not here, and Oberyn wouldn't be for too much longer.

She hated herself for being afraid and nervous as something she had always been conscious of was her duty.

She would marry the prince.

She would give him children…sons and daughter.

She would be queen.

It was now all written in stone and couldn't be changed.

There were times however when she wondered what it would be like if they had refused the king's offer of marriage, stayed in Dorne and allowed Doran to arrange a match for her with one of their vassals.

Perhaps one of the Daynes even. They were Dornish nobility and as such would be an excellent match.

 _Not as excellent as being queen someday however,_ a mocking voice whispered in her ear. _That was too good for Doran to pass up now wasn't it?_

She restrained herself from grimacing and gave the queen who was watching her closely, a gentle smile.

"Everything has been wonderful my lady," she said. "I am settling quite nicely and everyone has been so accommodating.

Rhaella gave her a sharp nod. "I was surprised you brought Ser Arthur's sister with you from Starfall. She will do well here at court with her brother as her protector. She will also do well in serving you. A suitable match will be arranged in time for her I am sure."

Elia nodded, not seeing any reason to disagree. Ashara would no doubt meet some highborn lord or son of a lord at court and they would wed before long.

Seeing as how the Daynes were an old family she would be allowed to marry above her station which was something her father and mother would no doubt take well.

"And my son?" the queen asked suddenly. "He has been treating you well?"

Elia blinked. Truthfully she had only spoken with Rhaegar a few times. He had been unswervingly polite each and every time she had spoken to him and no doubt in time it would be a match that could turn into love.

Elia hoped it would. It would make things all the more easy for her here. If she had a husband she could love, a partner she could trust and a king she could follow it would than perhaps the rest of her life spent in King's Landing would be better than she was worried it might not be.

"Prince Rhaegar has been very kind your grace," she said. "He's taken the liberty of showing me about the city and shown me the sights of it."

Rhaella nodded again. "Good. You will sup with me tonight my dear. I have been feeling poorly lately and will not be joining the rest of the other nobles at court. The feasting will no doubt begin tomorrow and the tourneys will commence and your marriage to my son will take place in two weeks. You had best take the time to prepare my dear. Becoming a dragon is a rather…unique experience."

Elia swallowed hard. She had a feeling she didn't want to know what that meant.

Ω

A few more days passed and Elia found herself relying more and more on Ashara and Ser Jaime for both protection and comfort.

Oberyn was always around as well but he had taken his time to seek out the pleasures of King's Landing and so was not always in the Red Keep.

 _He'll probably wear out half the whores in this city, father at least three bastards and then return to the capital when he's heard the news to take them back to Dorne._ She chuckled to herself then. _By the gods it is a good thing our brother is a patient man else he would have had Oberyn castrated by this point. After this trip away from home it is a possible thing that he might. I don't even want to think of the children my dear brother has sired that I don't know about…both here and across the Narrow Sea._

Elia loved all of her nieces dearly as they loved her but there came a time when she really had to question her brother's sanity. It almost seemed as if he were trying to create his own army of Sand Snakes for all she knew.

Now wouldn't Doran have something to say about that?

The day before her wedding, Elia was called in to see the seamstress for one last dress fitting. She would have thought she had been through all of them by now but it seemed there was more preparation to be done.

She had to admit, the dress was a stunning one.

It was a very pale shade of off white which complimented her golden skin quite well and left her back open. The collar of the dress was stitched in gold and came right to the edges of her shoulders with intricate golden stitching of suns across the bodice and the train. The back of the dress was longer than the front which meant she would need to constantly keep her hands on the hem to lift it so she would not trip.

That was annoying to say the least, but it was not something that could have been helped.

The maids would come early in the morning to help her bathe and dress and perfume her skin and put up her hair.

Her long hair would be put into some sort of elaborate up do and the amount of paint on her face would be unprecedented.

Elia understood that it was all part of the ceremony, all a part of the procedure, but at the same time, she couldn't help but be a little annoyed, as if she were some sort of trophy to show off, a conquest that had been won at the end of a long war.

No one else would see it that way…except for Aerys perhaps and that was the opinion that made her the most uncomfortable.

Him being her father in law was something that was the most uncomfortable feeling of all. Madness wasn't something that was readily seen in Dorne but it was a well-known fact that insanity was the price the dragons paid for centuries of keeping the blood line pure.

She remembered her mother saying something to her long ago about how the queen had married her own brother and as such whenever a Targaryen was born, the gods would flip a coin to see whether they were mad or not.

It didn't seem to be the cast that Rhaegar was mad, but Elia wanted to observe that for herself as she grew to know him.

Of course if he did indeed turn out to be mad it would be too late then.

All in all the situation was serving to make her increasingly uncomfortable but it was too late to turn back. She was in the capital and surrounded by Targaryen loyalists.

If they backed out of the betrothal now the full wrath of the dragons would fall upon Dorne like a fire and Elia did not want that to happen.

Plus, she might also be worrying for nothing. Rhaegar was certainly a personable man and he seemed to love his family well enough so she hoped he would love her and whatever children she gave him too.

As soon as the fitting was done, Elia left the room to find Ser Jaime waiting calmly at the door for her.

His face was very stoic lately.

Elia had observed something about him in the past week since she had been in the capital. He seemed to be a man of two personalities even though he was only slightly younger than she was. The personality of a laughing carefree boy that she had seen as a child was gone now and in its place was a man who appeared almost haunted by his past.

His handsome face had a weight to it that she had never been before and he seemed to hard and cold now…a far cry from the play mate she had had when they were children.

Deep down inside she missed that Jaime and wondered what had happened to make him so bitter and cold.

He always kept an eye on her and never left her side for too long and she was grateful for that. He seemed to take his duty as a member of the Kingsguard seriously and for that was she glad. Knowing that she would have someone to serve as her shield and especially someone she had known before was a relieving thing.

But she just wished he would smile more.

She couldn't get him to stop smiling and laughing when they used to play together and so she decided to do something rather uncharacteristic.

She smiled at him.

"You seem to be rather bored Ser Jaime," she teased somewhat. "I imagine there is a host of other things you would rather be doing with your day than standing at the door where I am getting fitted for me wedding dress."

Her statement evoked a small smile and she wanted to grin at her own success. "You misunderstand your grace. There is nothing I would rather do more than wait for you to finish readying yourself for the wedding."

She wanted to roll her eyes. "Lying was never your strong suit Jaime. I could always tell you were doing it when we were children."

He chuckled but it almost sounded bitter to her ears. "We aren't children anymore your grace."

She ceased her walking and turned around to face him so that they were standing almost chest to chest even though they were in the hallway of the keep where anyone might see them.

Her golden brown eyes roamed over every inch of his hard handsome face. He seemed to have a wall up that she couldn't break down and she wondered what wounds he was hiding behind that wall.

"No we're not," she said softly. "But that doesn't mean that you can't smile or laugh. I always liked it when you laughed or smiled."

That seemed to confuse the young knight. "You did?"

She smiled. "I did. You always knew how to cheer me up when we were children and now it seems the roles have switched.

He raised an eyebrow. "I didn't realise you had taken it upon yourself to make me smile your grace."

"We're still friends aren't we Jaime?" she asked. "Isn't it the usual course of friends to make each other smile and laugh?"

That seemed to confuse him even more. "I didn't realize you still thought of me in such a capacity your grace."

She laughed softly. "Well I do. I've known you for too long for it to not be so. Just because we haven't seen each other in six or seven years doesn't change that. We'll always be friends."

The hardness in his eyes seemed to soften slightly and she felt a smile coming to her own lips when she saw it. It was so rare to see him smile these days or give any sort of genuine emotion that when she did see it, it was like a ray of sensation.

"There now," she said. "That's all I want to see you do. When you smile it reminds me of another time when things weren't so complicated."

"So I am a reminder of the past?" Jaime asked raising an eyebrow.

Her own smile widened then and he blinked as if he hadn't been expecting it.

"You are," she said gently. "A reminder of one of the best parts of it."

He blinked again and his eyes softened even further to the point where the corners of his lips pulled up into what was a noticeable smile.

It was only then that Elia realized how close they were standing and she sprang back from her shield as if she were close to wild fire.

She turned around again and made her way outside of the keep into the sun drenched gardens. The soft clank of Jaime's armor could be heard behind her and Elia smiled as his protecting presence followed her.

It would follow her for a long time to come.

Ω

When the morning of her wedding dawned, Elia couldn't help but feel a certain sense of dread when she awakened and the maids came to help her bathe and dress.

She was washed and dried and rubbed down with countless perfumes and oils until she was certain she smelled like a Dornish garden.

From there the dress was put on her and her hair was braided into an intricate pattern with golden pins that seemed to flash in the sunlight as if they were their own little rays of sunshine caught in her tresses.

Gold and amber and topaz always seemed to compliment her golden skin better than any other stone but she had always looked good in light colors as they contrasted sharply with her complexion.

The back of the dress was open so she hoped she didn't get cold on the walk to the sept nut then a bronzed maiden's cloak bearing the golden sun of Dorne was placed about her shoulders and she had a feeling that she would be fine.

The cold feeling in her stomach didn't go away however.

She told herself that it was just nerves and in part, Elia even believed it but a small part of her wondered if she wasn't making a mistake coming here and marrying the prince.

Most of Westeros's noble ladies would sell their soul for a chance to be the next queen and here she was in the most enviable position in the entire world.

And she was complaining.

 _Mother please give me peace,_ she prayed silently as she stood before the mirror watching as the maids put their finishing touches on her. _Warrior please give me courage. Crone please give me wisdom and help me to be a good wife and a good queen._

She took a deep breath as one of the maids came to fetch her and opened the door so the guards could escort her to the sept where she would meet her brother and he would walk her down the aisle.

 _Gods I do hope Oberyn hasn't spent the night whoring about,_ she thought to herself. _He may be older than me but sometimes I wonder if he will ever grow up. I do not want to hear from the servants that my brother has fathered more Sands._

That was all she had time to think before the door was opened and she was revealed to Ser Jaime who was to escort her along with a few other guards to the sept.

When she came face to face with the knight, she was surprised to see him blink once and then twice as he looked at her. His gaze wasn't at all inappropriate but he did seem to be in a state of shock.

She couldn't resist teasing him a little as she had done when they were children and also as she had done with Oberyn many times in Dorne. "Do you like what you see Ser Jaime?"

His gaze turned almost horrified as if he realized what she was implying. And then to her amusement he began to stammer. "No your grace I –"

She pretended to pout. "So I don't look nice then?"

He seemed to realize what she was doing and his eyes narrowed while her mouth widened into a smile.

"We should get to the sept your grace," he said somewhat tightly. "We do not wish to be late."

Elia chuckled as the two of them walked side by side down the long hallway of the keep and out into the gardens where she might board the royal wheelhouse which would take her to the sept.

The knights would ride on either side of her to provide continued protection and Elia was secretly glad of it.

The ride to the sept, she was left alone with her thoughts and she was both happy and unhappy with it. Elia couldn't stop her thoughts from whirling about on what she was getting herself into and whether or not this was a mistake.

 _Gods I hope everything will be alright…that I will please the prince…that I will be a good queen…that I will be a good wife…that we will have children…that's all I want._

She was hard pressed to stop her heart from pounding like the hoof beats of a runaway horse when the wheelhouse came to a stop and she peered out the window in time to see that they had arrived in front of the great sept of Baelor.

The door was opened and then Ser Jaime was there, offering her his hand so she might step steadily down the small steps and onto the ground.

"Are you ready your grace?" he asked her quietly.

She nodded. "I am, thank you Ser Jaime. Shall we go?"

He led her up the steps of the sept and once they had reached the entrance Oberyn appeared and Jaime turned her over to him.

The two men nodded to each other in greeting and after Elia's arm was on Oberyn's Jaime disappeared to stand with the rest of the Kingsguard.

Though she was glad to see her brother, when Jaime vanished, she felt her unease return with a vengeance.

"Are you well sister?" Oberyn asked in concern.

She swallowed hard and nodded. "I am. Come Oberyn, we shouldn't keep the prince waiting any longer than necessary."

He nodded. "Are you sure you wish to do this?"

Elia chuckled. "It's a little late to back out now brother."

Oberyn offered her a smile. "Just say the word and I will procure two horses and we will ride out of the mud gate and back to Dorne before anyone is the wiser."

Elia rolled her eyes. "Don't be a fool Oberyn, we would be caught before we made it five miles. Trust me, everything will be alright."

He nodded before taking her arm and guiding her into the sept.

But as the sunlight disappeared and the cool quiet of the sept, Elia fervently wished she could make herself believe everything would be alright.

She told herself it would be alright as the smell of incense penetrated her nose and she took in the sight of all of the guests and her husband standing up at the altar before the priest. She told herself it would be alright as Oberyn led her down the aisle and she passed hundreds of guests who looked at her with hungry eyes.

She even told herself it would be alright as she stood before her beautiful husband and the priest in front of the altar and said her vows in the light of the seven.

But deep down a part of her that she would not acknowledge told her that it might not be as alright as she thought.

And in time she would begin to see that things wouldn't alright for a very long time.

Ω

 **So I am aware that Elia is in fact older than Oberyn in canon, however for the purposes of this story she is going to be the youngest Martell sibling. There is a reason for this which will be explained later. Also this story will also go back and forth between Jaime and Elia's perspectives because if you know me, than you know that I am all about perspective when it comes to writing a story. Again as I said before, within about three or four chapters the rebellion will begin and we'll start to see our protagonists face some hard truths and hard choices. Also, just as a fun fact, this story's name was taken from the song _Angel_ that is by Leona Lewis. If you don't know it, go listen to it right now. It is honestly one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard and I honestly think that it fits Jaime and Elia so well. Anyways, that's all for now, I hope you like this chapter, don't forget to review and happy reading everyone!**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Jaime

Jaime Lannister stared straight ahead of him at a spot on the wall in the great Sept of Baelor refusing to look anywhere else. He and the rest of the Kingsguard were lining the aisle waiting for the new princess to walk down it on the arm of her brother and thus the ceremony would take place.

It certainly was hot in the Sept with the amount of people standing close together and wearing his own golden armor didn't do much to lower his temperature. He could practically feel the sweat sliding down his face and he almost grimaced with disgust.

Why in Seven Hells did these ceremonies have to be so long?!

He supposed it was preferable to a royal funeral where one would have to stand vigil by their king for days until the new king was crowned and they assumed their duties to him.

Still though, he wished this thrice damned ceremony would conclude so he could at least go back to the Keep and get himself some wine.

As he stood there and watched as the Jewel of Dorne was joined together with the Crown prince, Jaime couldn't help but feel a certain discontent in his own heart.

She had looked absolutely stunning when the servant had opened the door for him to collect her and bring her to the wheelhouse so they might go to the great sept of Baelor.

Her long glossy dark curls had been swept into an elaborate hairdo and her golden olive skin had been perfumed with a floral scent that made her smell almost intoxicating.

There was a thin circle of gold woven into her hair with a small bronze colored topaz gemstone resting at the center of her forehead. The pale golden dress she was wearing had a plunging neckline and an open back with the thin straps of it tied about her neck, showing off her generous curves and making Jaime curse himself thrice over for looking at her in such a manner.

Her smile however when she saw him was the sweetest thing he had ever seen and her golden brown eyes sparkled when she saw him causing his heart to skip a beat for a moment.

Never before had he seen a woman so beautiful.

She didn't ooze confidence like his sister did but Elia Martell was called the Jewel of Dorne for a reason.

Cersei was a great beauty while Elia was an exotic beauty. They were both stunning, but in very different ways.

As she stood in front of her husband and the septon placed their hands on top of each other in a symbolic gesture of their union, he felt himself stiffen.

Of course he had been stiff for the last few days leading up to this wedding and for the life of him, he didn't know why.

He had ignored it and carried on with his duties the same as he had always done. It was only when Elia was speaking with him that he felt the stiffness abate slightly.

Her smile had a way of disarming him and stripping him of all of his excuses and making him uncomfortable in a way that no one else did.

Those golden brown eyes of hers would stare into his with a gentle intensity that made him feel as if he were a child again and was both painful and soft.

No one he knew had ever looked at him with that sort of gaze…the last was perhaps his mother and she had died so long ago that he couldn't really remember it.

He wanted to cringe when he thought of Lady Joanna.

Jaime had often wondered what life would have been like in Casterly Rock if his mother hadn't died birthing Tyrion.

Given the fact that he was only six and ten it wasn't an odd assumption to have or to make. Tyrion was his little brother and he couldn't imagine his life without him but his father and sister always could.

They had hated Tyrion just for being born and it was something Jaime had tried to shelter him from. It had led to some roaring fights with his sister as this was the one issue he wouldn't back down from and led to them not speaking for days until either he broke or she broke.

Most of the time it was him.

There were very few things Jaime could do to protect Tyrion from his father however and perhaps that was one reason there was a miniscule part of him that was glad he was away from it all.

He did feel sorry for Tyrion who was at the Rock right now having to deal with both his father and his sister but it wasn't something that could be helped.

The blonde turned his attention back to the scene happening in front of him. The High Septon was droning on and on about the vows made before the gods and how anyone would be cursed who tried to tear Princess Elia and the prince apart and how this union would be until one of them left this earth.

Unconsciously the notion caused him to shiver.

Jaime knew there would be a time coming when he did leave this earth, and probably sooner than any other noble eating and drinking and being merry in his well-guarded keep because would need to be on his guard every day.

 _Wouldn't father have something to say about that?_ He thought bitterly to himself.

As he stood there with his sworn brother watching the wedding ceremony continue on and on for an interminably amount of time until he almost wanted to pull his hair out.

But that would be incredibly unbecoming so all he did was shuffle his feet slightly and roll his shoulders back.

The only sight in the entire sept that caught his attention was Elia and that was only because in his private opinion she was the most stunning woman in the room.

All of those who were gathered for the wedding were dressed in their finest but to the knight they didn't hold a candle to the princess from Dorne who looked more stunning and radiant that any woman he had ever seen.

He knew such thoughts were inappropriate for a knight serving the royal family, especially from her sworn shield but at the same time, he was young enough where he couldn't bring himself to care.

There were very few people that he would be pleased to be around more than Elia. She at least was a familiar and somewhat comforting face in the capital and as much as he would never admit it, he was glad she was here.

Her personality was so different from Cersei's he had discovered in the last few weeks that she had been in the capital and it still surprised him. Unlike his sister who had a very domineering take charge sort of personality, Elia was gentle and sweet seemed to value the people around her with a gentleness that took Jaime by surprise.

She spoke kindly with everyone not just the people around her and Jaime could plainly see that the servants, both the ones in the keep and the ones she had brought with her from Dorne absolutely loved her.

 _She'll make a good queen,_ he thought to himself as he stood watching as the Jewel of Dorne exchanged her vows with the dragon prince. _She'll be a queen that the realm needs. The people in this city have had enough uncertainty and brutality to last them a lifetime. She will heal the realm._

He saw Elia glance up at the prince and smile as Rhaegar helped to remove the Dornish cloak from her shoulders and place the black one bearing the red three headed dragon about her once more.

Unexpectedly Jaime's hand tightened on the hilt of his sword as he saw the obvious and public declaration that she now belonged to another man.

A wave of bitterness crashed over him and with an effort, he swallowed it down. There was no sense in wishing for what he couldn't have.

As the vows were then sealed with a kiss, Jaime felt a muscle jerk in his cheek and took a deep breath.

 _Try to get a hold of yourself Lannister,_ he thought. _You'll still see her everyday. Granted a woman like that won't belong to you…but you knew that when your sister talked you into this nonsense right?_

The Lion of Lannister grimaced. The small voice in his head reminded him a good deal of a darker, nastier version of himself that sounded warped with bitterness.

As the royal couple turned to leave the sept, he released a deep sigh. _Thank the gods. Now maybe I can go back to the keep and get something to drink._

Ω

Jaime was glad that the bedding ceremony was avoided.

Sometimes during the festivities, both the prince and princess slipped away to be alone and he could breathe a sigh of relief when it happened and they could not be found.

It would have made him sick to his stomach to see her like that.

It didn't matter that the Dornish were a bit more…sexually free than the rest of Westeros, she was too good to be put through something like that.

Jaime knew he would most likely be just as lecherous as the rest of Westeros when it came to seeing any other woman unclothed, however with Elia it just seemed sick and wrong.

He didn't stop to ask himself why it was that he felt that way as it didn't seem to matter. It was only later when he would wonder of all woman, why it would bother him the most to see _her_ in that sort of manner.

Perhaps it was simply because he was her sworn shield and thinking of her in such a manner seemed wrong.

Perhaps it was because he still thought of her as the girl he had known so long ago.

But whatever the reason it still grated on him to think of her laid bare before the lecherous nobles and wedding guests that the king had bid come.

It seemed so….cheap.

He didn't know why the knowledge of this act was inspiring in him such feelings of discontent but he knew he was acting somewhat out of character in thinking so.

But then he had been acting out of character a lot lately.

His arrogance was still there as was his sarcasm but it was far sharper and bitter than it had been before.

And no one would point that out to him until later.

As Jaime stood there and watched the wedding guests dance and twirl and flirt the night away while the food spilled and the wine poured he couldn't help but wonder if any of these people were as fake as his sister.

He was missing Tyrion every day.

Someone pushed a goblet of wine into his hand and Jaime looked up into the smirking face of Jonathor Darry."

"Drink up Lannister," the knight said. "Even the sworn brothers are allowed to enjoy some aspects of tonight."

Cautiously Jaime brought the wine to his mouth and sipped. He knew it wouldn't be a good idea to consume too much lest it come to the attention of King Aerys.

There would be no one to save him then.

He looked around the room at the laughing maids and smirking nobles and felt his upper lip curl into a sneer.

Every day he could feel the bitterness closing in around him and the sarcasm building in an effort to maintain his nonchalant façade.

It was all a game though.

He was broken inside and he didn't even know it.

The ceremony continued long into the evening and Jaime didn't see Elia once. He did wonder more than once where she and Rhaegar had gone off to but decided that it was none of his business.

The moment the festivities ended and life in the keep returned to normal, he could resume his duties of service to the king and to princess Elia.

Until then all he had to do was grit his teeth through the laughter and the jests and wonder how foolish these people really were.

Ω

The next few weeks of wedding festivities passed in a blur for Jaime. The tourney concluded and the victor was rewarded with his prize. All in all, Jaime couldn't remember who was the victor and it didn't really matter.

Not in the end.

What did seem to matter however was the happiness that princess Elia displayed.

Jaime had been able to tell that something was wrong in the week leading up to the wedding as she had been quieter than usual and her smile had dimmed.

He was beginning to realize he liked when a smile was ever present on her face as it meant no matter what he was feeling, at least someone was happy.

But when she didn't smile, Jaime often wondered what there was to be happy about. He wondered whether or not she knew how much her own smile brought a sort of reprieve to his own melancholy.

She was another man's wife but he was her sworn shield and so that meant that he would spend more time with her, often then Rhaegar would.

A few weeks after the wedding Prince Oberyn left which was a source of relief for Jaime. He had been having a difficult time with the amount of people in the keep and managing his own time keeping an eye on the princess.

Seeing her with her new husband was proving to be a difficult experience and Jaime would feel his fingers unconsciously twitch whenever he had to follow the two of them around the keep along with Ser Arthur.

He didn't know what was provoking his tense reaction but he knew he needed to get it under control before it was noticed and there was some sort of repercussion.

It didn't mean that it wasn't difficult though.

The amount of sarcasm that he needed to hold back at times when addressing some of his sworn brothers burned his tongue.

The only time that he was somewhat himself and slightly less bitter was when he was with Princess Elia and following her around the keep.

She had a way of stripping past the nonsense, denial and anger that Jaime had wrapped around him and made him feel both vulnerable and comfortable.

She was actually able to get him to smile which was a herculean effort since his family had left for the rock. The time the blonde spent with her was the only time throughout the day where he felt remotely less angry or less bitter.

He could tell she was curious as to why he was so different from the person she knew so long ago, but his recent issues with his father and sister were nothing he wanted to talk about.

Jaime wanted to look forward, he really did but there were far too many things that were dragging him back. Whether that was the issues he was having with his own past or not having much choice in his own life at the moment or simply because he had been manipulated in the harshest way possible and was now separated from his family and his home, he did not know.

One thing he did know however was that the actions of the king were weighing heavily on his mood.

However, there were a few instances in the keep where Jaime was able to witness some rays of sunshine that lightened his countenance and made him feel not quite so grim.

It was almost impossible for Jaime to be dour and acidly sarcastic around her for there were times when her eyes would simply disarm him and he would need to look away from her lest he make a fool of his himself and reveal all of his secrets.

There was one time however when not smiling around her became impossible.

He had accompanied the princess to the gardens where she might spend her time in the company of the queen when he saw a glimpse of Elia's true heart.

As per usual, the princess had her golden smile on her face when she saw him and the two of them walked through the gardens together. It was something that Jaime noticed about her, she just had a genuine smile that filled a room and made his eyes stray to no other when he was around her.

When she saw him, the smile seemed to reach her eyes constantly and Jaime was shocked that his presence could elicit such a reaction.

He would never admit it, but he was beginning to enjoy spending his days with her. Her optimism and sunshine like personality as well as gentleness and compassion for the queen and young Prince Viserys especially was like a balm to him.

It had been a long time since the red keep had experienced someone with genuine compassion and honor.

Despite Aerys reasons for shunning his sister mad as they might be, Jaime was secretly glad that Elia's sweet and gentle presence had been brought to the capital. She would be a queen who would care for the realm and care for those about her with no motive other than love.

Jaime saw that when she was with Prince Viserys and insisted that the queen retire to rest so that she would look after him.

Viserys looked a little disappointed as a result of this.

It was obvious that he was closest to his mother out of all of the people in the keep. Jaime had never seen the little boy interact with Rhaegar let alone Aerys and he was secretly glad of the latter.

Aerys may have provided the seed, but the youngest dragon was all Rhaella. And because of that love for his mother that fuelled the glassy eyes and the slightly pushed out lip that was clearly sad.

When this happened, Elia got down on her hands and knees in front of the young prince on the ground looked him in the eyes. "Why don't you and I play together Viserys?"

Instantly the shy and nervous look on the little blonde's face vanished and he cocked his head to one side. "What game?"

Jaime cast a look down to Elia whom he was standing beside and was surprised and a little amused to see that her golden brown eyes were sparkling with amusement and mischief.

He felt his heart quicken a little.

"Why we shall play a game my brother and I used to play when I lived in Sunspear," the princess went on. "After we swam in the water we would come out and lie on the sand and make castles in it. Have you ever made a sand castle before Viserys?"

The little prince's eyes which had previously been on the ground looked up somewhat reluctantly to meet those of the Dornish woman. He slowly shook his head but he looked curious as well.

"Well we can't have that now can we?" Elia asked getting to her feet. She reached down and held out her hand towards the second prince who looked up at it and her cautiously, assessing whether or not she was trustworthy for a moment before taking it.

Elia then turned and led her brother in law off down the garden path with Jaime following somewhat curiously.

"Have you made sandcastles before Jaime?" Elia tossed over her shoulder and the blonde raised an eyebrow at her.

"No your grace, I can't say that I have," he replied.

Elia smirked at him and he was surprised at the mischief in her eyes. "Well then I shall have to educate you. Everyone should know how to build a sandcastle."

Despite himself Jaime smirked at her. "Should they? I didn't think it was so great a political matter as to be worthy of at least once a practice."

Elia laughed, the sound of it tossing upward into the air like the breeze down the path as they walked through the gardens. "You misunderstand me Jaime. Learning how to build a sandcastle is very important. After all how is one to learn how to rule their own keep one day?"

Jaime stiffened slightly at the mention of such things but was glad that Elia didn't notice. The last thing he wanted was an odd look.

Thankfully he was saved by Prince Viserys.

"I want to rule keep!" the three year old prince shouted happily tugging on the princess's hand and immediately Elia turned her attention to him.

"Will you be a good ruler Viserys?" she asked with a smile.

The small boy nodded his head so hard Jaime thought it would fall off of his neck. "Yes! Me be good ruler! Protect Mama and everyone!"

 _At least the boy has a sense of priorities,_ Jaime thought grimly to himself. _That's more than I can say for his father._

"That's good," Elia said. "You must protect your family. It will be the most important thing you do as a ruler. And you must protect your people to. They will love you for it if you do."

Jaime raised an eyebrow at the princess's back. How much did she know of ruling? He knew her brother was much loved by the people of Dorne and that it was that leadership that had enabled them to resist the Targaryens for so long.

To this day Dorne was the only region that had never been conquered, instead choosing to bend the knee through marriage instead of arms.

It was far easier to traverse the cold than the heat in that sense. Dragons and armies needed water and food like every other being and in the harsh unyielding Dornish deserts such things were often denied.

There were oases in the desert but one had to know where they were and how to look for them in order to find them. In essence, if one didn't travel to Dorne by sea and didn't know the way on foot, they were essentially doomed.

By this time, the three of them had made their way down to the rocky shoreline that was connected to the back of the keep and looked out into Blackwater Bay and the ocean.

It was a beautiful sunny day with no clouds in the sky and a warm breeze blowing in across the water. The sun was shining on the water, causing it to sparkle so brightly that it caused Jaime's eyes to hurt.

His attention was diverted from his discomfort for a moment when Viserys let out a great peal of laughter and dashed for the water, pulling Elia behind him.

Despite himself, the blonde chuckled and slowly followed them.

Elia raised the hem of her bronze colored dress slightly and settled herself into the sand so the gown pooled about her as if she were at the center of an exotic flower.

It was a pleasing metaphor.

"Now what?" Viserys asked when he sat down beside her.

"Now I need you to go to the edge of the shore and take some wet sand and bring it back here," Elia instructed him. "We need it to build our towers and wet sand is the easiest to form."

"Alright."

The little prince unsteadily got to his feet and under Jaime's watchful eyes hurried to the edge of the shore where he began scooping up handfuls of wet sand and laughing to himself.

"I didn't realize this was a hobby of yours, your grace," Jaime noted with a chuckle in his voice.

Elia looked up from where she was digging out a divot in the sand with her bare hands and gave the knight a cheeky smile. "My brother Oberyn is known as the fighter in our family Jaime. But Oberyn and I were always called the tacticians. We knew how to run the keeps and whenever we all built sand castles together, we knew how to defend them. Oberyn has no patience for strategy. He is a fighter and likes to spend his time doing that. The Martell siblings all have their strengths and I like to believe that strategy is one of mine."

Despite himself, Jaime smiled back at her and there was a moment of silence before he unbelted the sword at his waist and put it down on a rock near them.

"Well if that is so your grace then you're going to need to make the area wider," he said, kneeling down beside her.

She frowned. "What's wrong with it?"

Jaime gestured to the dugout area. "You are going to build the castle inside of a valley and that makes it far more vulnerable to attack. The castle should always be built on a mountaintop that way you can see your enemies coming at all times."

Elia raised an eyebrow. "It is surrounded by sand Ser Jaime, there are no defining shapes that stick out in the landscape to hide an enemy."

"No," Jaime said. "But there are times when the landscape itself can turn against you and if you make your castle in the middle of a valley it can surround you and turn into a natural prison."

Elia's face screwed up into a rather adorable look of concentration. "Spoken like the son of Tywin Lannister himself. I suppose you're right however. Very well then, what would you suggest Ser Jaime?"

With a wide sweep of his arm, the knight smoothed out the sand again and then got up to select a few choice stones from the surrounding area.

"If you have a natural barrier that allows you to block out your enemies when you are building a keep it will allow you to be able to traverse it with ease," he said before placing several round smooth stones down beside her.

"And would you know of barriers?" she asked with mischief in her eye.

 _Far too much princess…far too much._

He was saved from having to answer however when all of a sudden Prince Viserys hurried back, his little face discouraged.

"What's wrong Viserys?" Elia asked.

"I can't bring sand," the little prince said. "It goes through fingers."

"Here your grace," Jaime said and reached for his helmet which was lying beside him. "Use this. You can bring twice as much sand that way."

Viserys eyes lit up.

"Thank you!" he said before snatching the helmet and hurrying back down to the shoreline before he began filling the helmet with wet sand.

 _By the seven, I'm going to have sand in my hair for days after this,_ Jaime thought, rubbing the side of his face wryly.

"He's such a good child," Elia said softly, bringing his attention back to her beautiful face.

"Aye, he takes after his mother," Jaime said.

"I hope that that is something that continues," the princess said, giving voice to Jaime's own thoughts.

He would never speak ill of the king though.

In fact he would never speak of the king at all.

It was just easier to pretend as best he could that the man didn't exist.

"I hope I have children like him someday," Elia said so quietly that Jaime almost missed it.

When he did register what she had said an acidic sensation rose in his throat and he had to swallow quickly.

"I am sure you will your grace," he said keeping a practiced eye on the prince who was still filling the helmet with wet sand.

"Have you thought of it Jaime?" she asked.

He blinked. "Of having children your grace? Never. I am forbidden."

Elia gave him a gentle smile. "I know. But you were not always so. Has there been a time in your life when you thought about it?"

The knight paused for a moment before answering. "No."

"Hmm, that's a shame," Elia said.

He frowned at her. "Why?"

"I don't know," she replied. "But I have a feeling that you would make a wonderful father."

Jaime looked at her in astonishment. "Surely you jest."

"Not at all," she replied as she folded her hands in her lap. "When we played together as children you always had a smile on your face that was like sunshine. And you were so good with your little brother that you caused him to follow you around everywhere."

 _I had to be,_ Jaime thought to himself. _I was Tyrion's only protection against father and Cersei._

"I hardly think that that would make me a good father your grace," he said stiffly.

He was surprised further when he felt Elia reach over and gently lay her hand atop his. "I don't think you give yourself nearly enough credit Jaime. You're good with your little brother and now I can see you are good with the prince as well."

"I serve the prince your grace," Jaime said somewhat stiffly. "There is a difference. And in any case it matters not now. I am sworn to the royal family which means no matter how much we may wonder about it, it will not happen."

It took every ounce of his will power then to remove his hand from hers and he felt the loss of the contact both in his hand and in his heart immediately.

"I suppose," she said, her golden brown eyes searching every inch of his face. "But my opinion still holds true and I still think I am right. I was always right with my brother and I think I am right with you too."

Jaime was never more glad and disappointed when Viserys returned with a helmet full of wet sand.

The princess wasted no time in dumping it out and showing the young prince had to mold the wet sand into towers they could use to erect their keep.

Viserys was so enthusiastic and laughed and giggled so much that it couldn't help but bring a smile to Jaime's face.

He was comfortable in thinking that out of all members of the royal family, he liked Viserys the best. Perhaps that was simply because he was a child and thus innocent of all this life had to offer, but still…when the little prince smiled it was hard not to smile too.

The same seemed to go for Elia as well.

They spent the rest of the afternoon building sandcastles and laughing together when they fell down and had to be rebuilt.

It was only when the sun began to go down that Elia got to her feet, brushed the sand from her dress and Jaime picked up the extremely drowsy prince who was having a hard time keeping his eyes open.

Viserys then shocked Jaime thoroughly by laying his head down on the knights shoulder and snuggling closer to him as if Jaime himself were his favorite stuffed toy. He wrapped his arms around the blonde's neck and Jaime all of a sudden felt a lump in his throat which he had to swallow down harshly.

Elia seemed similarly surprised at the young prince's reaction to being held by Jaime and her expression was somewhat smug.

"We should be getting back," she said, reaching up a hand to brush the hair off of Viserys' forehead. "I'm sure the queen will be wondering where her son is."

"Indeed," the knight said.

Elia reached down and picked up his helmet from the sand before tucking it under one arm and the two made for the keep.

"Thank you Jaime," the princess said when they were halfway there.

Tywin Lannister's former heir frowned at her in confusion. "For what?"

She smiled up at him, her smile reaching all the way to her eyes. But those golden brown orbs were also tinged with sadness "For making my time here more enjoyable."

He inclined his head. "I am simply serving your grace."

He barely heard her soft reply. "You do far more than that."

As it was he did have sand in his hair for days after the excursion by the seaside.

But Jaime found he didn't mind.

Ω

Jaime found he began to enjoy being in Elia's presence even more after that day by the shoreline.

She was the only one in the keep that could elicit a smile from him although strangely enough, Viserys was slowly starting to be someone who could perform that herculean feat as well.

Even odder was the fact that the young prince seemed to have taken a liking to Jaime as well. He always had a smile for the knight whenever he appeared and even now the queen was beginning to take notice.

Jaime knew that his mother and Queen Rhaella had been good friends as well before his mother's passing thus perhaps that was why she seemed more comfortable with letting her son spend time with him as opposed to all the other knights.

He tried not to feel somewhat pleased by that but for whatever reason he did.

As long as his father had served the royal family, he now had his own connections as well which were proving to be somewhat surprising but also…pleasant.

However the pleasantness that he was feeling in miniature wore off slightly when a few days later…the king did something rather shocking.

It happened when Rhaegar was away with Ser Arthur at the moment and was the beginning of Jaime's dislike for the prince.

Jaime had just arrived for a court session with Elia at his side having followed her from where he met her at her chambers.

She had seated herself down on the side of the dais near the royal family and Jaime stood slightly behind her.

To the knight's understanding, it would simply be a regular court session in which the new Hand of the King would speak for the king and in which everyone, the king included would be bored.

But that didn't happen this time.

Instead, the look of abject glee on Aerys face was a cause for worry and when he noticed the fresh pile of wood on the middle of the floor in the throne room, Jaime went from worried to downright anxious.

His nerves were made even more acute when a prisoner in chains was promptly dragged in. The man was dirty and unrecognizable to those around him but that didn't stop gasps from being uttered.

"What is happening?" Elia asked softly, but the worry in tone was all but palpable.

"Please your grace!" the man called as he was thrown the floor at Aerys feet. "I am no traitor! I am a loyal servant of the realm!"

"Silence!" Aerys shouted.

He turned to the guards then. "Bind him and tie him."

Jaime watched with a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach as the man was dragged, screaming his innocence towards the pyre.

"What has he done your grace?" Elia asked turning to the king.

Aerys eyed her for a moment with disgust. It was no secret that he had no high regard for the Martells just as he didn't the Lannisters, but Jaime thought he might have been a bit more cordial to her regarding the fact that she was the be the queen and his daughter in law after all.

It seemed he had been wrong.

"The man was a traitor my dear," he said. "He was caught in a web of his own deceit in the kitchen muttering plots."

"In the kitchen?" the princess asked looking confused. "He is a servant?"

"Plots under my own nose," Aerys muttered. "I need to be more vigilant. They will all take my throne from me I know it."

"But surely there was a misunderstanding your grace," Elia tried again, her face turning pale as the man was tied to a stake in the center of the room.

Aerys look of disgust intensified. "There was no misunderstanding! I will not have traitors to my reign! Ser Gerold! Light the fire!"

"Yes your grace."

Elia opened her mouth to protest again, but it was too late.

With a crackle and a hiss the flames leapt from the lowered torch and the servant's screams for mercy became one of fear.

The room was utterly silent in shock and horror as the flames licked up the pile of wood and converged on the wretch tied to the stake in the middle as if it were a beast coming down on its prey.

The man's eyes were as wide as dinner plates and the terror in them stabbed right through Jaime's heart along with sick feelings of guilt for not saying anything in the servant's defense.

He knew if he were to speak up however, there was just as good a chance that he would be right next to the man in the flames.

Nothing was worth that.

In the next instant as the man's screams became even more acute, more pronounced, more agonized and as the scent of burning flesh filled the air, Jaime felt bile rise in his throat and had to swallow it down harshly.

He glanced around at his sworn brothers, wondering how on earth it was that they could be so calm when a man was being killed horrifically in front of them.

All of their expressions were curiously blank and then Jaime was struck with an even more appalling thought.

This must have happened quite frequently that they were able to be so nonchalant about it happening.

 _Gods…how many men has this monster killed?_ The knight wondered to himself as he glanced at the king and saw the sick glee in his eyes as the fire consumed the flesh of the poor wretch on the pyre.

As the skin began to char and the howls of the servant died as the smoke sapped the air from his lungs and the scent of the burned flesh filled the room causing much coughing and gagging to occur, Jaime risked a glance at Elia.

To his dismay, she was pale and trembling like a leaf and he worried for a moment whether she might faint.

 _I need to get her out of here,_ he thought to himself.

Gritting his teeth together against his own nausea, Jaime turned to the king who was chuckling gleefully and rubbing his hands together like a child who had gotten the last sweet.

"Your grace I think the princess is unwell, please allow me to escort her outside for some air."

Aerys glanced at the princess who was indeed shaking and the glee in his eyes changed to one of disgust.

"The gods must have some grievance against me for selecting a craven Dornish whore for my son," he muttered before waving them away. "Go."

Jaime stiffened slightly and his fingers twitched before he controlled himself and turned away from the king.

Jaime stepped down the steps of the dais to the chair on the bottom where Elia was sitting, before reaching out a hand towards the princess. "Come your grace. Perhaps the air outside will not be so foul."

She didn't even appear to hear him for a moment before she looked up and saw his proffered hand and took it.

The Dornish princess appeared almost mechanical as he helped her up and led her out a side door of the throne room, taking care to keep her as far away from pyre and the still burning body as possible.

Elia's grip on his arm tightened as soon as they were outside of the throne room.

Jaime glanced out of the corner of his eye at her and saw that her pale face had now turned an ashy grey. Her lower lip was clasped between her teeth and he feared she might bite through it if she clenched it tighter.

Jaime said nothing and focused simply on leading the princess outside the keep and into the gardens where she might have some air to bring the color back to her cheeks.

The moment they were in said gardens and out of sight of the keep, Jaime felt safe to talk.

"Are you well your grace?" he asked and then immediately wanted to cringe at how idiotic that sounded.

 _Of course she isn't alright you bloody fool! She just watched someone brutally murdered in front of her!_

She turned to him then and he was shocked and dismayed to see silver tears sliding down her beautiful face and dropping off her cheeks onto the ground below.

Her tears moved something in Jaime then, some sort of compassion he had long thought that he had lost.

He didn't know what it was, but he did know that he hated seeing her cry.

Perhaps that was what possessed him to do what he did next.

He reached out and gently placed a hand on her shoulder before tipping her chin up and wiping the tears slowly from her eyes.

It was an incredibly intimate gesture, one that he would later curse himself for but in the moment he didn't think about it.

All he knew was that he wanted to see her smile again.

The sadness in her eyes changed to one of surprise before something in those golden brown depths seemed to collapse and she threw her arms about his neck.

Jaime took a step back, shocked and confused at the passion of the gesture before his reason took over and he pulled her close, wrapping his arms about her waist.

It was beyond insane and foolish for any servant could come around the corner at any moment and see them and all the seven hells would break loose then.

But Jaime couldn't bring himself to care.

He could feel the heat of Elia's body through his armor and feel her trembling slightly in his arms which prompted him to tighten his hold.

The silence in the garden was beyond acute and seemed loud in his ears and every breath seemed like a gust of wind.

Jaime recalled giving Elia a hug when they were children. She had fallen down when they were playing and had torn her dress and skinned her knee.

He hadn't really known what to do because they were alone at the time. Whenever Cersei or Tyrion were upset he always hugged them until they felt better. So was what he did with Elia.

Except this embrace was far more personal and intimate.

Jaime was highly aware of how her body curved around his and how perfectly she fit in his arms.

Though she was a little older than he was, he was taller and so her head fit into the curve of his neck just below his chin perfectly.

He could feel her tears against his skin and wanted to curse…both at the king for causing her pain and at himself for allowing this as it was highly dangerous. _Damn Prince Rhaegar, he should be the one here comforting his wife when something like this happens! And yet he leave the task beside to go off to gods know where!_

But it was futile.

He found he could no more ignore her suffering than he could ignore the presence of his left or right hand…it was just there, demanding that he do something with it.

So he did.

After a very long time, Elia seemed to calm for her tears stopped and her trembling ceased.

She made no effort to remove her arms from about his neck and Jaime was secretly glad of this for it gave him an excuse to continue holding her.

"I heard rumors," she whispered quietly. "Of the madness of the king. But I didn't think they were actually true. Things seemed so much simpler and unbelievable in Dorne. And now I find that they're all true….that poor man."

Jaime didn't say anything, after all what could he saw. He couldn't denounce the actions of the king no matter how much he wanted to as that would be treason.

"I shouldn't have come," Elia whispered. "I was a fool to come here. Being a queen is not worth the suffering of others."

"There are many who would disagree with you your grace," Jaime said quietly. _My sister included._

"Then they are all fools," Elia replied. "How am I to survive in a keep where a monster stalks the halls preying on the innocent who were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time? Do you think that man was conspiring against the king?"

She looked up at him then," her beautiful eyes demanding an answer.

Jaime shifted uncomfortably. He didn't want to tell her what she wanted to hear as that meant he would be condemning the actions of the king.

But he also didn't want to defend the man either.

"I don't know," he said quietly. "But it seems that there are a lot of things I don't know lately."

Elia rubbed her hand across her face, brushing away the still lingering tears and stepped back from his embrace, obviously realizing the situation they were in. "I wish Oberyn were still here. He's always protected me, even when I didn't want it. I took it for granted before…but now I see that I may need it. Is anyone safe here Jaime?"

Her eyes looked up at him, searching his green ones, pleading for an answer.

He desperately wanted to give her one…but he didn't have any.

But in that moment as he looked down at her, tears still pooling in her beautiful eyes and sadness still on her face, an iron clad will seemed to settle in his stomach.

He didn't know where it came from but it would be something that would later drive him to do the most reckless thing he had ever done.

 _No…not everyone in the keep may be safe princess. But you will be. I'll protect you…I swear._

Ω

 **Sorry about the late update guys, finals have been killing me lately. As soon as exams are over in another few weeks, I should go back to regular updates. In the meantime, enjoy this chapter and don't forget to review!**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Elia

 _How could you be so stupid?!_

It was a month after she had seen the man burn alive inside of the throne room of the keep…a months since she had broken down outside in the gardens and done the most idiotic thing she had ever done in her life and thrown herself into the arms of Jaime Lannister.

She hadn't been thinking about what she was doing at the time, only that she was terrified and saddened and disgusted about what her father in law had done and missing Oberyn's protective presence.

Jaime had known her since they were children. He had always known how to make her laugh and smile and for whatever reason that had translated into a comforting individual.

When he had pulled her close, Elia was amazed at how safe she had felt in his arms. Despite the fact that he was a little younger than she was, he was taller than her, enough to rest her head against his chest and feel the press of his chin against the top of her head. It was enough to feel the warmth of his body through his armor enveloping her and enough to feel his arms tighten about her waist.

It was enough that it made her nervous how safe she had felt with him.

No one else had been able to make her feel safe since she had arrived in the capital.

No one.

And that was an alarming thing.

Not only because he was her sworn shield and she had known him when they were children but also because she _shouldn't_ feel as if he was the only person she felt safe with.

Surely a role like that belonged to her husband the prince after all.

She was married to Rhaegar, had given him her trust, her affection, her body….

And yet he hadn't been there when that man had been murdered right in front of her eyes.

Jaime had.

Another point in his favor.

Elia had cursed herself to the depths of perdition for breaking down in such a manner. She remembered after Doran's warnings about how she was too soft hearted and too compassionate and one day such empathies were going to land her in trouble.

She just didn't think that it would be so soon.

It had been the luck of the gods that the gardens were quiet at this time so she didn't have to worry about someone coming along and seeing them.

It was a near thing too as the amount of gossip that would commence from a princess embracing her sworn shield would have ruined both her and Ser Jaime.

She shuddered to think of what Aerys would have done had he known.

Perhaps she would have been in place of that unfortunate wretch who was burned alive.

The princess shuddered again and rubbed her hands up and down her arms. She could only thank the Mother's mercy that something like that hadn't happened.

But she had been even more surprised when Jaime returned her embrace. He had been startled as any man would when a woman unexpectedly put her arms around him, but his reaction time had been unbelievably short and when his arms had wound their way around her slim waist, Elia could feel the fear and horror and disgust she had been feeling moment earlier begin to melt away instantly.

How was that possible?

Rhaegar had embraced her several time since the wedding and the bedding but it had always been nothing more than affectionate even after they had shared themselves with each other.

Elia craved a touch that was loving and yet filled with desire.

However she was patient enough to know that things like that took time in an arranged marriage.

It was not going to happen overnight.

She was impatient however. She and Rhaegar had barely been married two moons and yet nearly all of the time he had been distant.

Oh he was polite enough, he made sure not to hurt her and was a pleasant companion during the times they strolled about the garden.

But there was no heat…no spark and no desire.

When Elia had laid eyes on him, she didn't think that that would be a problem seeing as how he was the most handsome man in the Seven Kingdoms.

Rhaegar Targaryen had been kissed by the gods it would seem as of all the women in the kingdoms, she had been the one chosen to stand by his side, wear a crown, share his bed and bear his children.

And Elia wanted to, gods but she wanted to.

She wanted to be happy and when the letter had come listing the king's intentions to make her the next queen she had been over the moon.

For years there it had been the longing of every woman in the Seven Kingdoms to be on her back for the crown prince and now she was the one who had been chosen.

How could she not be pleased about that?

Doran's eyes had gleamed at the opportunity of having a Martell queen and he had set about writing a reply with Elia's eager approval.

Oberyn was the only one who lamented the distance of her being so far away and expressed some concern.

He had always been her protector, being six years older than she was which helped his overprotective nature.

She loved Oberyn, but she always did find it slightly annoying.

Now she wished he were here.

But he had been recalled to Dorne by their older brother two weeks after the wedding, something to do with business to the Free Cities.

Oberyn never missed a moment to travel, other than fighting or whoring about it was his favorite pastime.

The two bastard children he had already were proof of that.

And now she was here alone.

Truthfully, Elia hated how helpless she felt, but she was in a keep surrounded by dragons and lions that were watching her every move.

Which made it even more surprising that Jaime had responded to her embrace so quickly. She had been seeking comfort and he had been quick to give it which was something she hadn't been expecting.

Granted he was to see to her protection from then on but she wasn't sure what to think of that when being in his arms made her feel as safe as they did.

Not even Rhaegar had made her feel like that.

And so, terrified of those strange thoughts, Elia had taken to not speaking with Jaime nearly at all throughout the course of the next month.

She felt guilty doing it as she did enjoy speaking with him, but it was necessary in order to make these strange sensations and thoughts go away.

Elia didn't even know what they meant and she was determined to not find out.

So she had busied herself doing everything possible to not be around Jaime Lannister.

That was somewhat difficult seeing as how they spent nearly every waking minute together walking about the keep. Most nights he was the last person to see her before she went to sleep and since Rhaegar was away with Ser Arthur and had been so for the last little while, Jaime was really the only person with which she spent her time.

The one amusing thing that had come out of all of this time spent together was the realization that Prince Viserys had taken a liking to Jaime.

Ever since they had spent that day on the shore building a castle out of the sand and Jaime had given the little prince his helmet to put the sand in, Viserys had warmed up to the knight considerably.

It didn't even seem to bother him anymore when his mother wasn't always around as long as he was with her and Jaime.

Elia was even beginning to suspect that Viserys liked the knight better than her.

There was an enormous age difference between the youngest prince and her husband and thus it wouldn't be as easy for them to form a close relationship until the littlest dragon was older. Plus it seemed that Rhaegar was gone a good deal of the time and Viserys was desperate for someone to look up to as his mother took care to ensure that he stayed away from his father.

Elia couldn't blame her.

The moment Viserys saw Jaime he would want to be around him, it didn't matter what he was doing.

Rhaella, the only other pleasant thing about this keep had even privately expressed to her the surprise she had felt at knowing how much of a liking her son had taken to Jaime Lannister.

What surprised Elia even further however was the knowledge that such things pleased the queen.

Joanna Lannister had been rather close with Rhaella before her death and it had saddened the queen to lose one of her friends.

Cersei Lannister was the spitting image of her mother but the girl had none of her temperament, something which annoyed the queen.

Jaime Lannister however was a different case.

Rhaella oddly approved of the idea of him being close to her son as the Targaryens and the Lannisters had been friends for so long.

With the appointment of Jaime to the Kingsguard however and her husband's pointed refusal to make Cersei Lannister the next queen, Rhaella feared that all good relations between the two families were now gone.

So it pleased her to see some good intentions between Lannisters and Targaryens once more.

Elia meanwhile was just pleased that her new mother in law seemed to like her and that the three of them, she Viserys and Rhaella seemed to get along well.

Whenever the three of them spent time together and there came a time in which Viserys would say or do something comical, they would laugh madly and for a moment it would cause Elia to forget Dorne, forget the mad king and forget the apathy of her husband.

Perhaps that was what stung the most, his indifferent nature towards her.

Again, he was polite and not rude, but attentive he was not and while their time spent together was passionate, it didn't seem to last long.

But then something happened that made Elia realize that it had been just long enough.

Ω

She had spent all morning staring at the wall of her chamber, afraid to emerge lest people should know the truth.

Truthfully, she didn't know how to feel.

Elia should have been ecstatic, overjoyed, crying tears of happiness.

She was going to bear the prince a child after all, perhaps an heir with both Targaryen and Martell blood who would forge a new connection between the Seven Kingdoms, despite his grandfather's efforts to tear it apart.

Maybe that was why she was anxious.

Her child would have Aerys Targaryen as a grandfather, her child would grow up in the keep with that mad man until he died.

And suppose it wasn't a boy?

Elia shuddered, trying without success to wipe away the dark thoughts that came upon her then.

Aerys was all about having heirs, so what if this child wasn't male? What would he do to her?

Elia hesitantly ran a hand along her stomach, wondering if perhaps she could be wrong. It had only been two moons since the wedding after all, it was too early to tell whether she was carrying a dragon in her belly.

But deep down there was a cold grim certainty that she was carrying a Targaryen child.

There was nothing to indicate that she was wrong or right, but perhaps what could be called a mother's intuition.

Gods.

She was going to be a mother.

The thought filled her with joy and dread at the same time.

She was seven and ten only, rather young to be a mother and her own mother having died years earlier, made Elia feel even more alone than ever.

She didn't know the first thing about what was necessary to embark on this task.

What was she to do?

How would she care for the child?

Would she raise it alone or would Rhaegar have some say?

Would the child be safe?

Would the both of them make it through child birth?

Would the child be sickly?

Would be it a stillborn?

Would it die before it saw a year of life?

All of these questions spun dizzily through her head until she thought she would be sick from them all.

Elia pressed one hand to her stomach and the other to her head, willing herself to be calm.

She didn't even know with absolute certainty if she was with child after all.

She could be wrong.

Perhaps it was just stress from the aftermath of the wedding and the horrific acts of Aerys Targaryen.

Elia felt a wave of nausea come over her and she gripped the bed post with all of her strength, willing it away.

 _You are many things Elia Martell but an idiot is not one of them, though there are moments of foolishness. You know in some months you will be a mother and so you had best cease your denying and justifying and questioning and become used to the idea. There is a royal child growing in your belly so you had best get up, put a smile on your face and at least act as if you are glad to be carrying Rhaegar's child._

Oh gods.

Rhaegar….

Should she tell him?

He was going to find out sooner or later when he body began to swell.

Her brown knitted together with worry.

Would he be happy? Pleased even?

This meant that the Targaryen line was going to continue and it was not up to queen Rhaella to carry the burden alone.

It would please the king no doubt and perhaps stave some of the madness that had been like an all encroaching fog about him.

Would it be enough however?

Elia sighed and roughly pulled herself to her feet, unwilling to dwell in her room hiding like a coward any longer.

 _I am going to be a mother soon,_ she thought to herself as she sunk into the bath that the maids had drawn. _And before long a queen as well. It would not do for the future queen to be hiding in her chambers like craven. My son will be the future king of Westeros. I am married to a dragon after all, I suppose that means I am one myself. And as my father in law is so fond of saying…dragons don't hide and they never bow to anyone. And if I am to truly become a dragon than I cannot remain in my chambers hiding like the sun hides behind the clouds. I do not have to tell anyone yet. But I will not hide._

And so with that in mind, Elia took a deep breath and called for a bath before she left her chambers.

Baths had always had a calming effect on her in the past and so as she sunk into the hot water up to her shoulders, Elia closed her eyes and let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding.

The water was warm and soothing and as she looked about the room after the servants had left, Elia slowly began to plan how she would incorporate a child's things into her chambers and where she would place the bed, the toys and so on and so forth.

In the back of her mind, she also began to wonder whether or not both she and Rhaegar would stay in this room so they might be close to the baby.

She felt the heat rise in her cheeks as she thought of her and her husband sharing one room and one bed so they might be closer to the baby.

She imagined it would bring them closer together and would make it easier for them to love each other once this connection they had made came to life and they could see the child with their own eyes.

 _That would be wonderful,_ Elia thought dreamily to herself.

She knew love matches were difficult to come by and those who did possess it were the envy of many and she did not know yet of a king in queen in the centuries past since the Targaryens had come to Westeros where there had been a love match between powerful ruling couples.

The one sort of example that Elia did have had been her own ancestors, Nymeria the warrior queen and the husband she had chosen Mors Martell and how they had conquered a land and made a family together. House Yronwood's lands had dwarfed those of the Lord of the Sandship and yet upon the uniting of House Nymeros Martell, Nymeria was so convinced in this union and the wonderful things that would come of it that she burned the ships of the Rhoynar that she had come in to Dorne with her people to symbolize that they would not return to Essos. Because of the ten thousand Rhoynar that Nymeria had brought to Westeros it increased the strength of this union and caused intermarriage between the two people groups.

Nymeria herself called her husband Mors the Prince of Dorne, using the Rhoynish word of prince instead of the Westerosi word for king and thus the concept of primogeniture was introduced.

Elia had always held her ancestors in high regard because of what both Nymeria and Mors were able to accomplish together.

They were a testament to how a legacy could be created through love, trust, commitment and determination. It took them years to conquer Dorne but in the end they did it and even though Mors was slain in battle, Nymeria continued the campaign and forced the Yronwoods into submission.

Elia had loved Dorne because it was the one place in Westeros where women were treated far more equally than the men. The first born child of the ruling prince or princess of

Dorne would inherit the throne and that was a concept that existed nowhere else in Westeros. She was very proud of what their ancestors had been able to accomplish in the way of equality.

But more than that, Elia was proud of what Nymeria and Mors had been able to accomplish together. They were the definition of a power couple and even when the love of her life died, Nymeria continued the campaign to conquer Dorne and won the war through determination, hard work and carried on her husband's legacy. And so when she eventually remarried, the child she had had with Mors was named the ruling princess of Dorne.

Though Nymeria was not fabled for carrying a weapon herself, she was an elite strategist and commander of armies and said armies were unique because the Rhoynar women were taught to fight beside their men…another example of equality.

As a result of her own history, Elia had been very proud that she had been chosen to be the queen of Westeros someday. While she didn't consider herself to be an elite strategist like her ancestor, she did see an opportunity to become an example someday.

Nymeria was not a queen that stood in the background and she proved this by solidifying her connection to Mors through a physical manifestation of commitment. She symbolized her desire to stay with her husband by not returning to Essos when there was an out.

Nymeria put in the work, put in the time and the determination and the love and the courage and the commitment and in the end, she had a marriage to be proud of and one that formed a legacy that lasted for hundreds of years.

Elia wanted to be like that.

She wanted to be a wife and queen that both she and Rhaegar would be proud of. She wanted their children to be great rulers and princesses, but more than that she wanted to have a dynasty that lasted just like Nymeria's did and which she was a part of.

Nymeria was a foreigner who had come to a strange land and married a man she didn't know but came to love after she and her people had escaped from the Valyrians and now everything had come full circle again.

The Dornish had fled from the dragon kings and finally come to an alliance with them through a double marriage and now it had happened again.

She smiled to herself as she lay back in the tub and closed her eyes. History had a strange way of coming full circle.

In the deepest parts of herself, Elia wondered whether or not someday there would be stories told about her and Rhaegar, about how they had ruled together, the children they had had and the legacy they had built.

She felt a little foolish thinking such things but at the same time, there were parts of her that still had some childhood dreams. They were not as great as Cersei Lannister who had only wanted power when Elia had last seen her, but Elia liked to think that her dreams of being a good wife, a good mother and a good queen were no less important than that of Jaime's twin sister.

Jaime…

Elia opened her eyes and sighed.

She was still feeling more than a little foolish and ashamed of herself from the way that she had allowed herself to fall apart in front of Jaime and the way that he instead of

Rhaegar had been there to comfort her.

At the time it didn't seem to matter and yet now with the gift of time, Elia realized that it did matter…it mattered very much.

Rhaegar was her husband and Jaime wasn't.

Rhaegar should be the one to hold her, not Jaime.

Rhaegar should be the one who comforted her, not Jaime.

And maybe that was why Elia had been able to look her sworn shield in the eyes for the past month or so.

It wasn't his fault, it was hers. In both their youth and naiveté and in the heat of the moment, they had taken comfort in each other and it had been a dangerous thing.

Elia realized that now that she was carrying the potential heir to the throne she needed to distance herself from all other situations which might compromise her and her role as the future queen.

She couldn't fall apart like that again because her father in law was a mad man. She was going to be the queen and the mother to the future king, and therefore couldn't afford to act like a weak woman.

Elia had been ill for a good portion of her childhood but like her brothers she possessed and uncanny determination to be all that she could be.

And so she had gotten over her sickness, she had forced herself out of bed and to walk around and go outside, to take in the air and to go swimming and the physical activity had done her more good than any medication the maester could have prescribed.

Bit by bit, and piece by piece, Elia had gotten herself healthy and well and she had done it with her own determination and her own will and capacity to be all that she could be.

And now she was the future queen, the highest role of power that a woman in Westeros could achieve.

There would be hard moments of course given the fact that her father in law was a maniac and she needed to be careful around him.

But he wouldn't be around forever, she and Rhaegar would outlive him and so would their children and there would come a time where the tense air in the Red Keep would lift and Elia would be able to take a deep breath and call the place home and mean it.

The princess tentatively rested a hand against her smooth stomach beneath the water. She knew she wouldn't feel anything for a few months but in that moment, she couldn't help but think that it felt warmer than usual.

Elia knew she was probably imagining things, the happy hallucinations of a new mother, but at the same time she counted it as a promise of what was to come.

And she knew she would strive to be a good wife and a good queen, no matter what happened in the future.

Ω

Another few weeks went by and Elia still kept the news of her pregnancy to herself.

She didn't know whether or that was because of fear or what people would say or the expectations she had for herself, or others had for her but Elia knew that this was a wonderful secret that she wanted to keep to herself for a little while longer.

In those few week, she had begun to experience more of the signs that she would be a mother with nausea in the morning along with increased fatigue and the slight tightening of her stomach.

Her waist was still as tiny as ever and there was no reason to think that anything had changed as Elia was a private person who kept to herself.

Another reason that she had not told the news to anyone was that she hadn't even told her husband as yet.

Part of the reason for that was because Rhaegar had seemed very distant lately. He had been spending more and more time outside of the keep in the company of Ser Arthur and he would never tell Elia where he was going.

She had tried asking him once but she had never given him a direct answer so she stopped asking.

His continued absences had disheartened her and there were many times when she had second guessed her decision to come here. But whenever that happened, she would always press her hand to her stomach and close her eyes and remember that despite the difficulties of her ancestors in making a marriage work as she was sure they had come,

Nymeria had been committed and had burned all of her bridges.

There was no going back for Nymeria.

So there would be no going back for Elia.

Things were simply different in the keep and she would need to learn to adjust.

Since the princess had found out about her pregnancy, she had been going out of her way to avoid Aerys at all costs. This had proved to be the one good thing about her time in the keep as he had virtually ignored her.

She still remember the look of disgust he had given her when Jaime had asked the king for permission to take her outside after the execution by fire over a moon ago.

He had seemed disgusted that she wasn't able to handle watching someone killed in front of her and had commented on her weakness and what a poor match she was for his son.

There had been more vulgarity mixed in but that was the underlying tone of what he had meant.

Elia had despised him in that moment, not because the man was insane, but because no rational human being would have delighted in watching someone burned to death in front of her and the fool that wore the crown was acting like such things were perfectly normal in his court.

Which now that she thought of it, it probably was.

She held on to the fact that sooner or later he would be gone and she and Rhaella and Rhaegar wouldn't have to worry about him anymore.

And speaking of her mother in law, Rhaella had somehow found out that she was pregnant, commenting on the way Elia had been keeping a hand close to her stomach while the two were walking around the garden a week earlier.

 _"Are you alright my dear?" the queen had asked.  
_

 _Elia frowned at her as they basked in the sunshine. "Yes your grace, why would you ask that?"  
_

 _"Your hand has scarcely left your stomach since we began this walk," Rhaella said with a frown. "Are you ill?"  
_

 _Elia barely suppressed a grimace. She hadn't realized she had been doing that ever since she had learned of her pregnancy. Perhaps it was a protective instinct. She didn't want anyone to know what was happening and so she attempted to cover it up. But in her haste to hide herself, she had drawn attention to herself.  
_

 _Elia cleared her throat and decided to be partially honest. It had been some time that she had suspected the truth.  
_

 _"I have been feeling somewhat ill lately your grace," she replied slowly.  
_

 _"Have you been to see the maester?" the queen asked in concern.  
_

 _Elia twisted her hands together. "I…I did. And he confirmed something that I have been suspecting for the last few weeks."  
_

 _Rhaella's frown deepened and she gave Elia a searching look. A long moment passed before it seemed to register to the queen what her good daughter was talking about and her violet eyes widened exponentially.  
_

 _"Are you….that is to say….is he sure? He has confirmed it?"  
_

 _Elia swallowed hard and nodded. "He has."  
_

 _Rhaella blinked suddenly, her violet eyes appearing as clear as amethyst stones then. "Oh my dear…this is….this is wonderful. Have you told my son?"  
_

 _Elia took another deep breath, suddenly never more conscious of the clanking sound of Ser Jaime's metal clad feet behind her. For some reason she didn't want to see his face, didn't want to know his expression.  
_

 _They had not spoken much since their rather intimate accidental encounter a few weeks earlier. In truth Elia had suspected that she had reacted in such a way to the king's slaughter because she was pregnant at the time and more prone to emotional outbursts. She just hadn't known the truth.  
_

 _Since that moment, she and Jaime had only exchanged a few scant words with each other as he had calmly followed her about the keep. She hated the distance between them where there had one been such comfortability but that was the exact reason she was trying to keep things distant. Any…episodes needed to be avoided in the future and it hadn't been Jaime's fault…it had been hers.  
_

 _"Not yet your grace," Elia replied. "I do plan to when he returns. I wanted to be certain before I went to the maester and now that I am, there is no reason to keep it a secret any longer."  
_

 _The silence was practically wrapping around them like a blanket.  
_

 _The joy in Rhaella's face had been impossible to deny and it was cause to give Elia a smile as well.  
_

 _"Viserys is only three or so," the queen said wistfully. "But I do miss the sound of laughing children in the keep. It will be so wonderful to have more."  
_

 _"I am excited as well your grace."  
_

 _"I know you are my dear. I will not mention anything to my son until you have had a chance to do so."  
_

 _Elia smiled at her mother in law. "Thank you."  
_

 _It was not long after that Rhaella left, flanked by Ser Barristan and Elia was left alone once more with Jaime.  
_

 _For whatever reason, she risked a glance at Jaime then and was surprised to see that his expression was utterly blank.  
_

 _"Are you alright Jaime?" she asked.  
_

 _"Of course your grace," he said. "And might I offer my congratulations?"  
_

 _She smiled at him, relieved. "Thank you. An heir to the throne would be a very welcome thing."  
_

 _What he said next surprised her.  
_

 _"Even if it is a girl your grace it will be a blessing."  
_

 _She blinked at him, caught off guard. "Do you mean that?"  
_

 _He frowned at her. "I do. Perhaps the keep could do with a little more joy."  
_

 _Now it was her turn to frown. "You think the keep is lacking in joy Ser Jaime?"  
_

 _He raised an eyebrow at her as they stood on the garden path. "You need not act as if it overflowing with it your grace. The keep has many things, but joy I would not say is one of them. With the exception of Prince Viserys of course."  
_

 _Elia smiled fondly at the mention of her new little brother who she no doubt knew would love the idea of another child about the keep to play with. He would be an uncle but the child when it was born would be so close to him in age that they would more or less me like cousins as opposed to an elder sort of relationship.  
_

 _She smiled again. Her family may have been gone, but she was beginning one here.  
_

 _Elia didn't even notice the tense look behind the sarcasm on Jaime's face or the flash of pain in his green eyes that was so fast it wouldn't have been noticeable to the average person and only to those who knew him very well.  
_

 _She did feel his eyes on her as they walked about the gardens as was her custom. They never left her and she was secretly grateful for that. He had paid more attention to her_ _than Rhaegar had and they were married._

 _Elia had wondered how the people in her life would react to the news that she was with child and now almost all of them did.  
_

 _She hoped it would bring her and Rhaegar closer, she hoped it would allow the mad king to stay as far away from her as possible and most of all, she hoped that the child or children for that matter would be healthy and well. She had no desire to see her offspring suffer just because she had been a sickly child.  
_

I will be happy, _she thought to herself then._ I don't care how much work I need to put into it, or how much commitment I need to give. If I need to become like Nymeria than that is what I will do. I will fight and I will survive…because love and family is worth it. _  
_

She just didn't know that things would be slightly more different than she had planned.

Ω

 **Sorry for the late update guys, I have been swamped with finals and studying but now I am just about done for the summer so I should be back to regular updates. We're going to a bit of a time jump in the next chapter just because I want to get to the rebellion soon and what happens after. Also, be sure to check my profile for new story ideas as I think you'll like what you see. The newest one is called The Devil wears Cornhusks and it is a crossover featuring Supernatural and Harry Potter with Luna Lovegood as the main character as she is my favorite. Go check it out. In the meantime thanks for reading and don't forget to review!**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Jaime

He had been feeling foolish a lot lately.

It had been nearly two moons since the wedding and the princess's mood swings had increased exponentially to the point of being conspicuously apparent.

He didn't know why he hadn't realized it earlier. It was perfectly normal and natural after all.

The crown needed an heir. After all wasn't that why the lords and ladies of great houses married so that they could carry on their family lines?

It was a good thing, a right thing for the princess to be expecting a child. It would mean stability for the realm and peace for the Targaryens. In fact, it might even mean that

Aerys madness would abate somewhat as he knew his lines were secure.

It would present the princess in a new light for the prince and allow him to see that she was healthy and could bear his children and thus be a good queen to carry on the Targaryen line.

It would bring peace to the realm as the Targaryen grasp on power was tenuous enough. The crown only had two sons with which to carry on the dragon name and perhaps this was a reason for King Aerys madness.

Summerhall had been a great tragedy for the crown and had nearly spelled the destruction of the Targaryen line.

That fire had truly brought on the madness of Aerys.

A child was a good thing.

So why did he feel so discontent, so irritable with the news that there were going to be more Targaryen princes and princesses?

Perhaps it was because it was Elia who was going to be the one responsible for carrying on that line.

In the last few weeks that she had come to the capital, she had been a great comfort to Jaime though she knew it not. She had first proven to be a distraction from his own bitter reality and then she had proven to be a small joy to watch smile.

It irritated the young lion of Lannister that the prince did not seem to spend as much time with his new bride as he should have.

The princess was two moons along into carrying their child and Jaime didn't want to imagine what he might have been like had he married and his wife was expecting their child.

Of course the only person that came to mind when he thought of a woman in his future as Cersei which of course irritated him to no end and caused him to be far more testy than normal.

He had been thinking about his twin a lot lately with feelings mixed with anger and sorrow. He was caught between missing her and wanting to wring her neck.

All of these conflicting emotions only served to make him feel as if he couldn't stand still and be in one place for too long or else he felt as if he were going to explode.

Fortunately, the princess didn't seem to notice. She had the happy glow of a mother to be about her and try as he might, Jaime couldn't be irritated at her own happiness.

He was more annoyed that he wouldn't get to experience something like that.

His sarcasm was becoming more and more layered and he knew if he didn't do something about it and quickly it was going to land him in trouble.

But it was almost as if he couldn't help it. From the moment he found out that Elia was with child, he almost felt…choked. Everyone around him was happy and for a moment it was like he wasn't able to be.

He tried to imagine what he would have done if instead of Elia it had been his sister who was expecting Rhaegar's child and immediately bile began to rise in his throat.

That was what would have happened had the prince's father not decided to go a different route and make Elia Martell queen instead.

At the moment though, Jaime couldn't decide which was worse.

Both were women he was connected to, one by blood and one by honor and an age old agreement.

Both that he cared for.

Cersei he both loved and hated at the moment and he couldn't decide which was worse. Thankfully she was not here so he would not have to decide.

But Elia was here, confusing his thought processes every time he saw her. Her hands were now protectively over her stomach almost all the time. No one else but him would have noticed the subtle change in gestures from her hands hanging at her sides to the crossing over her abdomen unless they had been with her as often as he had.

It was likely that a few months would go by before anyone noticed anyway and Jaime knew he had no intention of telling anyone no matter who asked or who guessed.

It wasn't like anyone would come to him anyway. He was a knight of the Kingsguard what was to be seen and not heard.

Gods in some ways it was like being a child around his father again.

Jaime was so fool to the fact that he was as much a pawn in a political game now as he was when he had been in his father's household.

He would not claim to be the mind of the family the way that Tyrion was but he knew well enough that his father's plans to betroth him to Lysa Tully had as much to do making his sister more attractive to the Targaryens as they did for connecting them to the rest of the greater houses of Westeros.

For example, if his marriage to the Tully girl had gone through and her sister's marriage to Brandon Stark, and his sister to the Baratheon heir that would mean that the Lannisters were connected by marriage to a power alliance that was extremely rare and had not been done before.

But now that had been shot to hell by his sister's grand plans.

Though he could care less about alliances and simply wanted adventure away from all of this, it was all the more galling knowing that he had traded loyalty to his father and family for a ruler and a realm.

More importantly a princess that he was sworn to protect and who he was beginning to feel things for that were dangerous.

A glow had come about her as a result of her pregnancy though only those who knew her well would have been able to see it.

She had appeared frightened and concerned at first and Jaime could certainly understand why. She was carrying a dragon which meant that she would now be tied to the Targaryens forever and that her child might potentially be the heir to the Seven Kingdoms.

That was an overwhelming prospect for someone with her disposition.

And speaking of disposition, Jaime had seen a direct change in her nature in the months that she had arrived from Dorne.

She carried herself differently, kept her head held high and her shoulders back along with looking everyone who passed her in the eye until they inclined their heads to her and murmured _your grace._ There was a new fire in her eyes and a pride that Jaime had never seen before.

It in no way diminished her sweet nature or the compassion that he had seen her exhibit to frequently however, in many ways it made those benevolent qualities seem even more noticeable.

In an odd sort of way Jaime was proud of her.

Not many women could live in a keep with Aerys Targaryen and not go stark raving mad. Queen Rhaella was only one of few.

But Elia Martell was proving her mettle and it was impressing Jaime more and more.

If anything it took away some of his concern for her to see how strong she was becoming and how she wasn't a shrinking flower that he had worried she was after Aerys had had a man burned alive in front of her.

But that also worried him.

As pleasing as the princess's newfound confidence was, Jaime worried that her exposure to such horrific things in the keep would make her jaded and he had no desire to see her become as brittle and bitter as he was.

Elia was his sun, though he knew it not and even if he was to remain this way for the term of his natural life, he would be damned before he allowed just poison to harden her heart as well.

Gods if his sister and father could see him now.

Perhaps that was why he had been asking more prodding questions of her lately. If anything it was to make sure that she was still the shining light he had known as a child and that she hadn't allowed the atmosphere of the keep to get into her heart and mind.

In his mind he was protecting a dear friend and the woman he was sworn to protect…but in truth it was much more than that.

But he wouldn't realize that until later.

"What do you think of Aegon Jaime?" Elia asked.

They were strolling along the shoreline of the keep, he always being a respectful few feet behind her.

The sun was shining overhead and it was a few months since she had revealed the knowledge of her pregnancy to the queen and thus to him.

All in all, it had been an odd few months in the keep what with the prince moving like a ghost through the shadows of the palace. He seemed to frequent the royal library a good deal lately, something which confused Jaime.

Before the prince had married Elia, he had seemed content to frequent the streets of King's Landing on a regular basis and play for its citizens as it pleased him.

Jaime had never gone with him on such an outing but Barristan had and he could see the respect that the knight had for the prince every time he did so.

Personally, Jaime thought he should be spending more time with his wife as she was carrying his child as opposed to doing charity work or reading, but that was not his place to say.

That didn't mean that he didn't stew about it however.

Like in this very moment, Elia had suggested to her husband that they go for a walk to discuss names together for the baby and he had given her an excuse of needing to go to the library to find something important for his father.

Jaime had barely resisted snorting.

What did make him angry was seeing the disappointed and hurt look on Elia's face when he refused before quickly covering it up with a calm mask of politeness and apathy.

That didn't mean that Jaime didn't see the look of pain in her eyes however or the way she blinked twice before turning away so the two of them could go out of doors.

He felt his hands tighten into fists for a moment before he hastily tucked them behind his back so they wouldn't be seen.

Thankfully no one was in the hallway of the keep at the time.

Jaime blinked, turning away from his thoughts as they wandered along the shore and looking back at the princess.

"What do I think of the name your grace?" he asked.

She nodded. "Yes, what do you think of it? It's not particularly a Dornish name but perhaps there will be time for that later. After all, if it is a son a Valyrian name would please the family."

"And if it's a daughter?"

For a moment a shadow of fear crossed her stunning face and Jaime was sorry that he had brought it up.

All children were wonderful but it was crucial in a family that had as weak a grasp on power as the Targaryens did to have as many sons as possible.

As soon as an heir was provided, then the daughters could come.

It was an unspoken rule in all of the greater houses.

"I hadn't thought of it," she said quietly and Jaime struggled to come up with something that would take her mind off the possibility that she might fail in her duty to provide an heir.

"What made you think of the name Aegon your grace?" he asked after a few seconds of awkward silence.

It worked thankfully.

"Rhaegar has always liked it," the princess explained a faraway expression coming to her face. "Aegon was the name of his ancestor, the man who established the Targaryen dynasty here in Westeros and perhaps he wishes for it to be a revival of the dragon line."

 _I wish him luck with that,_ Jaime thought sarcastically. _The Targaryen line is hanging on by a thread as two sons have been born to the family after the tragedy at Summerhall. I very much doubt that this will be some sort of promised prince who will restore prosperity. The prince is fooling himself to think otherwise._

But he knew better than to say that.

"Aegon was also a conqueror," Jaime countered. "I mean no offense your grace but he was a man responsible for burning several thousand souls alive on the battlefield. It is a name that does come with some negative history."

Surprisingly enough she turned to him, her eyes darkening slightly and he was surprised at the firmness of her face.

"Aegon may be a name for a man who killed and conquered," she said slowly and with deliberate words. "But it is also the name for a man who had the courage to leave his home behind him and seek it elsewhere. What is gained with little risk after all?"

Jaime stared at her for long enough until she flushed. "What indeed?"

"I apologize," she said quietly. "I spoke out of turn."

"Not at all," he said calmly both surprised and pleased that she was beginning to show her proud Dornish qualities. "Is this the reason you feel so strongly about the name Aegon?"

"Aegon is a strong name," she said quietly. "It is a name for those who have courage and strength and it is something that this child is going to need living in this keep."

The last part she said so quietly that Jaime almost didn't hear her.

Truth be told, it didn't surprise him that she was thinking in this way. Elia had always been a highly introspective person but she had become even more so in the last few months that she had been in the capital.

It made Jaime both curious and concerned.

He kicked up sprays of the golden sand as he walked and tilted his head up towards the sun so that he might think more properly.

It was a beautiful day with a gentle breeze and the waves lapping at the shore made it seem even more picturesque. The sand was warm and he could plainly see that this was

Elia's favorite place in the entire city as it reminded her of home.

She was kicking up sand and tossing handfuls of it into the air, watching it waft in the air and shower towards the ground like golden rain.

The look of wonder on her face made her seem innocent and childlike and the blonde couldn't help but smile.

"But suppose," he said slowly after a moment, wishing for the conversation to continue. "That it is a girl that is born first. What would her name be?"

This time, the princess's exquisite features were not dominated by fear, but rather one of quiet contemplation.

Jaime could see that she had thought about this before.

"She will need a strong name as well," she said softly. "One that will make people afraid to cross her as she grows. I haven't decided between Rhaenys and Visenya."

"All conquering Targaryens," Jaime noted.

"Indeed," she said. "I know some people may have reservations about the names, but those people are not the parents to my child. I am the mother of the future king and I _will not_ allow others to dictate what say I have in my child's life."

Jaime's eyebrows rose exponentially and despite himself he felt a surge of pride for the woman in front of him.

He had thought she might be swallowed by all the scheming politicians on the small council or those nobles who all wanted a piece of the throne.

But now it seemed she was proving him wrong.

Knowing he had been assigned to be her sworn shield, he had already had a feeling he was going to need to be on his guard far more than usual around her and look through all of her dealings with others.

Perhaps he did not have reason anymore to be quite as concerned.

Elia must have noticed the look on his face because she paused in her stroll and frowned at him. "What?"

He gave her a small smile. "Nothing your grace. You simply seem to be adjusting to your new role rather well."

She raised an eyebrow. "And I wasn't before?"

He looked at her for a long time, hands clasped over the stomach of her golden dress and a fire in her eyes, knowing that she was no shrinking violet. "May I speak freely?"

Elia gave him a smile. "Jaime you are not just my shield, you are my friend as well. I would never tell you to be silent for fear that I would not be able to accept what you have to say. I am not that pretentious. At least I hope I am not."

 _No you grace, you are not. But having grown up around someone who is old habits do in fact die hard._

"Very well," he said. "I had…concerns about how you would fare in the capital. They began that first day that I saw you in the gardens before the royal wedding. You appeared…sad and somewhat unhappy to be here. I couldn't help but wonder how you would fare in your role as queen. It seems that I do not have any concerns to stand on anymore."

Elia blinked for a moment and looked at him. "Well I am glad I could lay whatever concerns you had to rest Jaime. But rest assured that I am no shrinking flower though I appreciate your protection and conversation all the same. I will be queen one day and I won't have anyone trying to take my crown from me."

Jaime's smile grew then as he took in her standing there on the sand. Her hands had shifted from her stomach to her hips and there was a fire in her golden eyes that had never seen before.

Yes indeed, this pregnancy had been good on her and good for her.

"Good," he said. "And nor should they."

They continued their walk slowly through the sand, both of them having a lot to talk about.

After a long moment however as Jaime kept a careful eye on Elia as she wandered closer to the shoreline where the water met the sand and observed the peaceful expression on her face.

The tranquility of the situation did not prepare him for the surprising nature of the question she posed to him a moment later.

"Have you ever thought about names for children Jaime?"

He blinked and stared at her for a long time. "No your grace. I will never father children, I swore an oath to the king after all."

She surprised him further by waving her hand dismissively. "I know, however you must have thought about it at some point. If you had a son or daughter, what would you name them?"

Jaime's own mood felt heavy then.

He was only six and ten, barely more than a child himself and nowhere near ready for even the idea of becoming a parent.

He knew that he had no desire to turn out like his father and make the same mistakes with his own children, alienate them, use them as pawns or keep them at arm's length.

He felt his lip curl in disgust when he thought about it.

Tyrion had suffered by far the most from his father and now there was a healthy dislike for Tywin there that should not have been present in a twelve year old boy.

Gods he missed Tyrion.

He remembered sitting in his little brother's room at least several times each moon to hear some new story or piece of information that the littlest Lannister had to impart.

Some of it was interesting and some of it made him want to fall asleep. But no matter what sort of information he received, Jaime had always appreciated the fact that there was peace between them and no more screaming or yelling.

Cersei did enough of that already.

Tyrion had always had a great interest in Lannister family history and stories related to their ancestors before them, the battles that the lions had fought in the past and the tales of bravery and valor.

One of the ancestors that had always stuck out in the stories that Tyrion had read to him was his great uncle Jason Lannister. He had been a man of honor and bravery and cunning who was not weak as his father claimed his own was.

It had shamed Tywin as long as he had lived that he had had a weak father that others had laughed at and called the Toothless Lion behind his back. His father had made himself a fool to the people of the Westerlands by not collecting debts that were owed and being far too weak of a ruler to crush those who were insolent.

He had admired his uncle Jason however because of the man's strength.

Jaime didn't know if his father would ever admit it, but he had a feeling that there had been many times in the man's past where he had wished Jason had been born first so

Tywin might have had a father figure that he wouldn't mock.

If there was one thing that his father hated it was being mocked and their name a laughingstock.

And so he had made it so that the name of Lannister was now a terror to those all throughout Westeros.

But Jaime wasn't certain anymore which was worse.

His father did not have an explosive temper but he was one to be feared when he was angry. He was cold, calculating and had no patience for foolish mistakes.

Jaime still remembered the time that his father had sat him down as a child for four hours every day so he might learn his letter properly as they were appearing backwards in his head.

He had hated him for it, but that was one facet of patience that his father had exhibited that he had never forgotten.

Tywin didn't tolerate foolish mistakes from Jaime and Jaime knew well enough not to make them.

Well…at least he had.

There were times when Jaime had himself wondered how his father might have turned out had his grandfather been Jason instead of Tywin. Would he have been different was always the question to be asked.

He would never know now though.

Gods but how he wished he had met the man.

Oddly enough Jason was the youngest of the four children born to Gerold Lannister, known as Gerold the Golden and his second wife Lady Rohanne Webber.

His uncle had grown up at Casterly Rock and fathered eight children, who were known still by Jaime.

Tywin had held his own father in such disregard because it was said that Tytos Lannister was not a warrior, it was Jaeson who had led the troops of the Westerlands in battle to the Stepstones during the War of the Ninepenny Kings. It was there that he died at Bloodstone.

He was a hero, a strong man, one of the best of the Lannisters.

"Jaime?" Elia asked and the blonde blinked, not realizing how close she had come to him.

Her beautiful face frowned up at him and he was painfully aware of her standing as near to him as she had been when he had comforted her what seemed like a long time ago.

"Are you alright? You looked far away."

He swallowed hard. "Indeed, I was just…lost in thought."

"Well I should think so," she chuckled. "If you appeared any more distant I would have thought you a statue in golden armor. What on earth were you thinking about?"

Jaime rubbed a hand on the side of his jaw wryly. "The question you asked me your grace. I believe I have come up with an answer."

Elia blinked. "Very well. What is it?"

"Jason," he said quietly. "If I had a son his name would be Jason."

Elia searched his face as the wind whipped her hair about her own visage and looked rather pointedly into his green eyes.

Her golden eyes were so deep and hypnotizing that he felt he wasn't able to look away much less blink to hide from the intense scrutiny.

But somehow he managed to hold his own until the moment passed and she spoke up again.

"That is a good strong name as well," she said. "A name fit for a lord of the Westerlands."

Jaime snorted slightly. "Yes it is. But seeing as how I have sworn an oath to never father children, it is a pipe dream and nothing more."

Elia raised an eyebrow at him. "I wouldn't say that Jaime. Unless you can foresee the future I wouldn't say you never having children is an absolute."

"Have you seen the future your grace?"

She ignored the dry tone in his voice and the two carried on their walk. "Call it a mother's intuition Jaime. You have more to give than will be decided here."

"You have an uncommonly high opinion of me your grace."

"Not at all," she said. "I simply call things as I see them. You know that and you also know that I know not to underestimate people. As long as they are alive, they will find a way to surprise us."

"If you say so your grace."

"I do," she said, stopping and turning around so that she could face him. "And before long I hope to convince you as well."

He frowned at her. "Why would you want to convince me of that your grace?"

She seemed to stumble for a moment causing his frown to deepen. But finally, her expression hardened and he could see that she meant every word she was about to say.

"Perhaps its because I hope that you will finally understand that not everything is set in stone and that your life is not over simply because you have been locked into a path of life you have not chosen for yourself. No one can take away your choice but yourself. What you do with that choice is up to you."

He was floored. Her words were vehement and were spoken with so much fire that he could not help but believe them. She seemed so sure of what she was saying that it couldn't be possible that it wasn't true.

But then he remembered that she was an idealist, and the world wasn't kind to those who had hope.

That was something he needed to protect her from.

"You are welcome to try your grace," he said finally. "But you will forgive me if I am not as confident in your results as you are."

Her eyes narrowed but then she blinked again and her nest words signalled a change in conversation. "Let us talk about something else. It is a beautiful day and I do not wish to argue."

He heaved an inward sigh, both pleased and disappointed that the conversation was over. "Very well then. What do you wish to speak of?"

"Tell me a story," Elia suggested. "One from the past?"

Jaime frowned, this was new ground. "What tale do you wish to hear your grace?"

"Anything," she replied. "It doesn't matter."

Jaime thought for a moment. Tyrion was the scholar…not him. He had always been the one his Uncle Gerion would set on the table after meals and call for him to recite all of the wonders of the world to those gathered. It had always infuriated his father that Tyrion was the center of attention, but Gerion never cared.

 _Perhaps a tale from the Wonders made by Man would suit her fancy,_ he thought absently.

"You have heard of the Titan of Braavos correct?" he asked, remembering fondly that Tyrion talking about that was one of his favorite things.

"Some," Elia supplied. "But I have never seen it before no matter how much I wished to. My brother was always the one who did the traveling. Oberyn was like the wind, he could never be tied down."

Her tone turned sad and Jaime struggled for a moment, trying to bring that smile back to her face.

And then the voice of Tyrion talking about the Titan permeated his mind and he smiled slightly.

A rock on the shoreline was coming up and he gestured towards it. "Suppose you seat yourself there your grace and I will tell you about it?"

"Very well."

The moment she had seated herself on the rock and folded her hands in her lap, the two of them looked out to the sea and Jaime opened his mouth, the voice of Tyrion guiding him along.

"The Titan is a massive stone and bronze fortress in the shape of a giant man which guards the entrance into the lagoon where Braavos is located. It is the primary line of defense for the city and when it is seen from the sea for the first time it is a truly terrifying sight. The feet of the statue lie on two separate islands, including Sellagoro's Shield and each foot is set upon a mountain.

"The islands are covered in soldier pines and black spruce. The legs and lower torso are made of the same black granite that form the islands upon which it stands; they were originally a natural stone archway, which was carved and shaped by three generations of sculptors and stonemasons. Above the waist, the colossus is bronze, its body filled with halls and chambers, its bronze breastplate punctured with arrow slits. One hand rests on the top of a ridge, its bronze fingers wrapped around the stone. The other hand is thrust into the air, holding the hilt of a broken sword. The Titan's head, rising four hundred feet above sea level, is crested with a bronze half helm, and has green-dyed hempen rope for hair. In its eyes burn large beacon fires, lighting the way back inside the lagoon for returning ships. The Titan's hips are encased in an armored skirt of a green bronze hue, the bottom covered in murder holes.

"Enemy ships can be steered onto the rocks by the watchmen inside the Titan, and stones and pots of burning pitch can be dropped onto the decks of any that attempt to pass between the Titan's legs without leave. However, this has seldom been necessary; not since the Century of Blood has any enemy been so rash as to attempt to provoke the Titan's wrath.

"Tyrion's voice just kept coming and feeling far more confident than he was when he had started, Jaime kept on.

Elia seemed similarly intrigued even though he was certain she had heard some of this before.

"The Titan lets out a loud roar whenever a ship approaches its entrance, to warn the Arsenal of Braavos. The roar is huge, a terrible groaning and grinding blast so loud it drowns out most sounds nearby, and can be heard across the lagoon in the city. The Titan also roars to herald sunrise and sunset and the hours of the day are counted by its roar. During the anniversary of the Uncloaking, at midnight on the tenth day, the Titan roars to signify that the celebrants should all remove their masks."

"You seem like you know a good deal about it," Elia observed.

Jaime chuckled and ran a hand through his hair with his left hand as the right held his helmet. "I should. It was one of Tyrion's favorite subjects and he loved to tell me about it."

"Dear Tyrion," Elia mused. "How is he?"

Jaime barely restrained himself from flinching. "He is well. I receive letters from him every so often."

He wouldn't tell her what those letters were about however. She didn't need to know.

Tyrion was only twelve, but he was as lonely at Casterly Rock as Jaime had ever heard him to be and the last thing that he wanted was his little brother becoming bitter.

Cersei hated Tyrion but Tyrion was beginning to develop a fresh hatred for Cersei, one that would rival her own for him.

Jaime had always played the mediator between his siblings and now that he was not there and they were alone with his father his teeth were set on edge about what might happen.

Elia seemed to pick up on his mood. "He'll be alright Jaime."

The knight cleared his throat. "Yes of course he will your grace."

Amusement seemed to light her eyes. "Yes and you seem so confident about it too."

He blinked and narrowed his eyes at her. Was she mocking him?

The look on his face must have been incredulous because the moment happened she burst into a high peal of laughter that had him taking a step back in surprise.

"You should learn to take a joke Jaime," she said still chuckling and pressed a hand to the rock so she could get to her feet which wasn't easy with her rapidly growing stomach.

"You're far too serious, its going to be the death of you one day."

He hurriedly came to her side and helped her up, noting the way her hand was pressed to her stomach. "Are you well your grace?"

"Of course I am," she all but snapped at him. "My sense of balance is shifting now that I am somewhat heavier in my middle. Pregnancy is a wonderful thing but sometimes I want to curse all the changes that come with it. My body is changing and will likely never be the same."

It was a moment of superficial vulnerability from her and it surprised Jaime.

Elia was certainly not as vain as his sister about her looks even though she was one of the most stunning women he had ever seen but he supposed that the hardships of bringing a child into the world would cause a bit of wear and tear.

And oddly he felt a warmth for her well up inside of him as well as a feeling of fierce protectiveness.

Perhaps that was what prompted his next words.

"You look beautiful your grace," Jaime said quietly. "You always have."

There was a long moment of silence in which Elia stared at him in surprise as if she had never expected to hear such words out of his mouth.

For a long time they just stared at each other on the shore as if daring the other to speak first and break the quiet.

For his part Jaime was mortified that such words had come out of his mouth and questioning his sanity on where they had come from but there was no way to take them back now that they had been said.

He was even further astonished when a slight pink dusting began to color the princess's cheeks in a rosy hue that was noticeable in the midday sun.

"Well," she said quietly after a long time. "Thank you Jaime. Perhaps I am not losing my mind after all."

He was both relieved and glad that she had spoken first and it surprising prompted a laugh from him.

"You will never have to worry about that your grace. Out of all of the people in this keep, you are the one that is the most decidedly sane."

She smiled at him but it only lasted for a grimace before the situation took a turn for the worse.

The smile on her beautiful face froze for a moment and became a grimace and she sucked in a sharp breath of air.

Jaime frowned. "Are you well your grace?"

When she didn't answer and appeared to bend over at the waist, he became even more concerned.

Her face had become very pale and cords were standing out in her neck faintly. Her hands were clenched into white knuckled and one hand was pressed against her stomach as if she were experiencing pain there. Her breathing had become harsh and laboured and her fingers were shaking slightly.

He opened his mouth to ask again and reached out a hand towards her.

It was a well noted thing because the moment his hand took hold of her arm, she went as limp as a rag doll and collapsed in a faint.

Jaime sprang forward and caught her as she slid to the ground, her head leaning against his shoulder, eyes staring at the sky unseeing.

"Your grace?" he whispered his voice shaking as he gently touched her face. "Elia?"

It was a slip of the tongue that he had said her name and a testament to how shocked he was. She had seemed fine earlier, happy and content and smiling as if she hadn't a care in the world. How had this happened?

After a few more gentle shakes, it began to register that there was nothing more that he could do for her here and with his panic mounting, he swept her up into his arms and strode back to the keep as fast as his legs would allow.

As they neared it he came into a run, uncaring of who saw him, his thoughts on the woman in his arms only.

Her head was resting against his armored chest, her eyes now having closed and her form so small in his arms. The swell of her stomach was the heaviest thing about her and his eyes were drawn to it as he ran. She felt cold, so cold even though he knew that was impossible to happen in so short a time since she had fainted.

He glanced down at her face and absently ran a hand over her long dark hair, not really knowing why but feeling the need to do it all the same.

 _Please,_ he thought to himself, completely unknowing of whom he was praying to. _Please not the child. Please don't let it be the child. But…please don't let it be her either…anything but her._

He had felt protective of her before…but it was nothing to how he felt now.

Ω

Jaime was pacing outside of the doors to the maester's chambers where he had brought Elia for almost twenty minutes before the sound of metallic footsteps rang on the tiles of the keep.

The young knight glanced up in time to see Prince Lewyn Martell, one of the older members of the Kingsguard and Elia's uncle striding down the hall towards him.

The man's handsome face seemed to be set in stone and he was sporting a glare that Tywin Lannister would have been envious of.  
Jaime swallowed hard.

As soon as he had caught sight of the young Lannister, the younger brother of the late princess of Dorne strode forward.

"Lannister!" he barked as he came to a stop in front of Jaime. "What the hell happened?"

In hushed tones the blonde explained everything as best as he could to the Dornish knight. How Elia had wanted to go for a walk by the shoreline and they had had a few minutes of conversation before he had helped her up from the rock she was sitting on in order to make it back.

After that she had fainted and present course of action had led them to where they are now.

By that point, Lewyn was pacing even more than Jaime had been.

Martell was the one member of the Kingsguard that Jaime didn't know particularly well. He knew Barristan Selmy and their stern faced Lord Commander Ser Gerold as well Ser Arthur Dayne well enough but the younger Dornish prince had always held himself slightly aloof from the rest of his sworn brothers.

It was however a closely guarded secret among the members of their time honored brotherhood that Prince Lewyn had kept a paramour during his years of service to the king and continued to do so now.

His mannerism was like his nephew Prince Oberyn which made Jaime's skin itch and it was something he had tried to avoid.

"The king must never know," Lewyn hissed at him as he paced back and forth in front of the door leaving nothing for Jaime to do but to tap his foot against the tiles of the hallway impatiently. "If he were to find out about this gods only know what he would do to Elia."

Jaime bit back a shudder of agreement. "No words of this incident will pass my lips, of that you can be assured."

Lewyn nodded sharply. "Good. It would be a great insult to Dorne and to my nephew if Elia were to be set aside in favor of another if the king were to think her incapable of producing an heir to the throne."

"Because god knows the king is having enough trouble carrying on his family line himself," Jaime muttered sarcastically and then blinked in horror at what he had just said.

There was a moment of silence where Lewyn stared at him and Jaime thought for sure he had done it this time.

He was surprised however when the younger prince did nothing but bark out a laugh and clap him on the shoulder. "Perhaps there is hope for you yet Lannister."

The door opened then and the two knights were greeted with a rather wrinkled Pycelle, shuffling forward in frustratingly slow manner.

The two men waiting however did not shuffle.

As soon as the door was pulled halfway open so that the light behind it could be seen from the hall, they sprang forward like a pair of deer and surrounded the man.

"Well?" Lewyn demanded. "How is she?"

The man twisted his hands together. "Sers, perhaps it would be beneficial to wait until the prince arrives. This is a delicate matter reserved for the royal family and I really don't feel comfortable discussing – "

At that moment it appeared that Lewyn had run out of patience because he sprang forward pulling a knife from his belt in the same fluid motion and forcing the aging maester up against the wall with the point of it at his throat.

"You will listen to me you snivelling worm," he hissed in Pycelle's face, who was now shaking with fear. "Princess Elia may be a Targaryen now but she is still a Martell and she is my blood. You will tell me how she is faring right now or else I will make you far more uncomfortable than you already are."

Pycelle tried to speak a few times but couldn't and on the fourth try managed to clear his throat.

However right when a sound was poised to leap from his tongue, another one came from within the room.

"It's alright uncle," came Elia's tired voice. "Don't scare the grand maester. I am well."

Jaime felt relief like a flood crash over him in that moment and he locked eyes with Lewyn who had summarily dropped the man as if he were something foul.

The two of them strode into the room and Jaime wanted to sag with relief when he saw Elia sitting up in the bed next to the window with a white sheet pulled up to her chest.

He was glad to see that the color was coming back to her cheeks and though it was weak her smile was still there.

Lewyn made it to the bed first and knelt next to her so he could take her hand. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired," she said softly, "and a little sore, but the grand maester told me that is natural."

"And the child?" Jaime asked hardly daring to breath.

Elia's answering smile was like sunshine. "The babe is well too. In fact, that is one of the reasons that I fainted."

Lewyn frowned. "What do you mean?"

Elia shifted so she could make herself more comfortable. "Grand Maester Pycelle has told me that I am not eating enough. I am eating for one child when in fact…I should be eating for two."

There was a moment of silence throughout the room before Lewyn muttered something that Jaime didn't catch.

"Twins?" he asked in a choked voice. "Are you certain?"

Elia nodded. "Maester Pycelle has told me that he has heard two heartbeats and that they are both healthy. The reason for my fainting is that I am not getting enough rest and I need to be eating more."

"Then by all means, please do as the maester suggests," Jaime said quietly.

Elia looked at him then and he felt ashamed at the flash of concern that came across her face. "Are you alright Ser Jaime? I'm afraid I must have given you quite a shock."

 _More than you will ever know,_ the knight thought to himself but of course he didn't say that.

"I am well your grace," he said. "But my worry is the least of your concern. You must do as the grand maester says."

"I will," she said sounding frustrated. "I'll be more careful this time."

"Hmm, see to it that you are," her uncle said in a stern voice that sounded more like that of a concerned family member and less like a professional knight of the Kingsguard.

"I will."

They left the room nearly twenty minutes later, Jaime standing guard and Lewyn going back to fulfill his duties.

The prince still hadn't arrived as yet.

Thankfully Jaime didn't seem to be the only one who was irritated by that.

"I should see to it that the prince if he is around is notified of his wife's condition right away. He should be here," Lewyn muttered.

 _If he even cares,_ Jaime thought bitterly.

But he didn't say that. The walls in the keep had ears after all.

"Twins," Lewyn breathed. "Miraculous, it will be a sign of good fortune for us all."

 _Indeed,_ Jaime though as he glanced back at the door. _Or a sign of great ill…only time will tell how good or bad._

Ω

 **So I decided to have Elia give birth to Rhaenys and Aegon all in one go because it speeds up the timeline for my purposes with this story. Rhaenys is still going to be the older of the the siblings, its just for my purposes, they are going to be twins in this story. Anyway, in the next chapter Elia will give birth to them and we will begin to see rumblings of the rebellion which should happen in a few more chapters, chapter 9 perhaps. Don't forget to review and happy reading everyone!**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Elia

Twins…she could still scarcely believe it.

When the maester had informed her of the truth, the Dornish princess had thought him jesting. But then the truth had begun to sink in and she had been beside herself with excitement.

There was now more than one chance for this to be a son…perhaps two sons.

She could only imagine the look on the faces of those nobles and their daughters who doubted that she would be able to provide the crown with heirs. She couldn't wait to rub their smug little noses in it.

 _Calm yourself Elia,_ the princess thought to herself. _There are still many more months before these lives come into the world. You are only seven and ten, very young yet._ _Suppose something happens to disrupt the pregnancy? Suppose one of the twins is born dead? You must be prepared for every eventuality._

That was something that she certainly hadn't been when she had collapsed on the shoreline not long ago. It had only been several weeks ago in fact, a moon perhaps.

If Ser Jaime hadn't been there…

Elia paused in her thinking and shuddered.

 _I owe him a debt,_ she thought to herself. _I know it is the duty of the Kingsguard to serve the royal family but…I cannot help but think that he did what he did not out of duty. But what other reason could there be? He has been such a loyal friend and companion that I do not wish to keep him far. Is it bad that while he may be here not of his own free will I am glad he is here and I feel as if the gods have given me a gift?_

She had stuck closer to the knight since she had collapsed and her uncle had remained close to her as well but for some strange reason, Elia had a feeling that her nearness had made the young knight uncomfortable and she wondered why but had not the nerve to ask.

She had been asked few questions because of her delicate condition and the Dornish princess had already resolved in her own mind that she would not tell her husband that she was carrying twins until they were born. She didn't want to speak out of turn and then have something terrible happen before or when they were born.

The dark haired beauty wanted nothing more than to be a good wife and a good mother as well as a good queen and she didn't want anything to happen to get in the way of that.

Later she would see that desire as an almost obsession, keeping her from the things that she really wanted and needed to have.

But for the moment, it was all she could see.

After spending a few days in bed however after the incident had occurred, Elia had had enough with being treated like a fragile shell by her maids and the maids of the queen and demanded to be let up and let out.

They had obliged her but with worried looks on their faces and had helped her bathe and dress before she left.

The moment Elia had stepped outside of her door however, she was surprised to find a familiar blonde knight standing on the threshold with his helm tucked under his arm and his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"Jaime!" she exclaimed the young man in question jumped to attention before turning to her with a bow. "Your grace. Shouldn't you be resting?"

Elia didn't resist from rolling her eyes and resting a hand on her slowly swelling belly. "If I hear that word one more time I am going to scream."

Jaime eyed her for a moment before she saw a small smile color his handsome face in a more golden glow. "Rest?"

"Yes!" she snapped. "I have had quite enough rest in the last few days thank you. More than I have had in a lifetime and I am quite ready to be up and on my feet again. I should think that one day of rest would have been plenty. I am perfectly alright!"

Jaime didn't say anything but when she looked up at him again and saw the lazy smile on his face that he was trying without success to hide, she frowned. "What is it?"

"Nothing your grace," the knight replied. "But it is good to see your assertive nature. I do not recall you having much of one when we were children."

Elia's mouth dropped open in surprise at the somewhat forward comment before she saw the twinkle in the knight's green eyes, realized that he was only mildly teasing her and let out a peal of laughter.

"In that regard you are right," she said. "I did not. But I like to think that many things have changed since we were children."

A dark look crossed the blonde's face for the deepest of moments and Elia was almost sorry that she had brought it up before it passed. "So they have."

The Dornish princess knew the young lion suffered from his own demons in his past, but she was hesitant to bring them up because he had become more guarded than she had ever seen him since she had met him in the capital.

Sooner or later though she hoped he would talk about whatever had darkened his heart and countenance.

And speaking of countenance, her own had darkened on account of Rhaegar himself. Her elusive husband had only seen it fit to drop in on her once and he seemed no more interested in conversing about what had happened to her than he was interested in the weather.

 _I don't understand why he spends as little time with me as possible,_ the princess thought to herself in confusion and no small amount of misery. _The only time we were together truly was on our wedding night and even then he only remained awake to spill his seed and that was it. It seemed a task for him, a chore. Do I really hold no more interest for him than some meaningless task like signing a document?_

She didn't want to believe it, but it was slowly beginning to sink in that her husband did not love her even though they had been married for months.

 _What do I have to do?_ She thought to herself. _I've tried so hard and yet it does not seem like enough. What does he want from me and how can I give it to him?_

"Are you alright your grace?"

Elia blinked and then internally cursed as she remembered that she was still standing before Ser Jaime. He was looking at her closely and the intensity of his green eyes made the hair on the back of her neck stand up.

When he wanted to, Jaime had an ability to read a person's face that she had never seen before.

 _A rather unsettling ability,_ she thought to herself. _It must have come from his father. I cannot think of Lady Joanna with such a look on her face._

"Fine Jaime," she said. "I have had too much time on my hands these last few days to think. And I wish to think no more."

"Really?" he said and she could hear the amusement in his tone. "And what do you wish to do your grace?"

"I wish to go out," she said with vehemence. "The gardens are my favorite place in this entire keep and I long to see them again."

"Very well."

Though she was only around a few months into her pregnancy, Elia was already beginning to feel a pain in her feet and back and a tenderness in her slowly swelling breasts that were evident as a result of her advancing pregnancy.

But she wasn't about to let that stop her.

The moment the two of them entered the gardens and the sun touched the princess's face once more, she turned her head towards it and closed her eyes, giving a great sigh of relief.

"There is something that is so soothing about natural light," she said softly as if to herself. "I never want to be cloaked in shadows for more than a few days."

"Well then I will see to it that it does not happen your grace," Jaime said in a gentle tone that she had never heard from him before which caused her to open her eyes and stare into his beginning to feel a pain in her feet and back and a tenderness in her slowly swelling breasts that were evident as a result of her advancing pregnancy.

But she wasn't about to let that stop her.

The moment the two of them entered the gardens and the sun touched the princess's face once more, she turned her head towards it and closed her eyes, giving a great sigh of relief.

"There is something that is so soothing about natural light," she said softly as if to herself. "I never want to be cloaked in shadows for more than a few days."

"Well then I will see to it that it does not happen your grace," Jaime said in a gentle tone that she had never heard from him before which caused her to open her eyes and stare into his green orbs that were watching her carefully.

"Would you?" she asked in a whisper that was barely loud enough to be heard over the breaths of wind.

"Yes," he said just as quietly.

They coninued looking at each other for what seemed like minutes longer but in truth it could not have been more than a few seconds before something caused Elia to blink and look away from the tall knight.

Why was it that she felt things around him that she couldn't make herself feel for her own husband?

With Rhaegar there had always been a certain fondness but now as his interest in her dwindled, Elia could feel her own sadness like an encroaching fog.

But she straightened her resolve and decided she wasn't going to waste her time feeling sorry for herself and dwell on her sadness.

Rhaegar aside, it was a lovely day and she had no intention to waste it away in grey melancholy thoughts.

"And seeing as how I have had a lot of time on my hands since I have been forcibly put into my bed," she began knowing that she had to get her mind off of the strange things that Jaime gaze did to her. "I have decided on several names."

"You have?" he asked as they walked down the garden path that was lined with trees. "And what might those names be?"

"I have decided on a name for a girl," Elia said proudly and she could see the smile out of the corner of her eye from the knight.

He had a nice smile, certainly one that would turn many a girls head if they were looking for it. It would light up his whole face and bring a light to his green eyes that couldn't be conveyed by a smirk that he usually wore or the other times when he wore a grim look on his handsome face.

Elia blinked and remembered herself then, a heat of embarrassment rising to her cheeks.

"Rhaenys," she said proudly. "I decided on Rhaenys."

Jaime was quiet for a moment and after a time she began to wonder if he did not like the name.

"Do you disapprove?" she asked tentatively.

"Whether I do or do not is not up to me your grace," the knight said and she wanted to stamp her foot. "This is the royal prince or princess to whom we are referring, their name will be magnificent no matter what it is."

"Don't give me that," Elia snapped feeling suddenly irritated with him though she knew her mood swings were a result of her pregnancy. "I want your honest opinion. You gave it to me all the time when we were children. I would hear it now. Do you or do you not like the name?"

He chuckled and she realized with relief that she had broken him from whatever foolish notions of speech he had been having.

"I do," he said and she blinked at him.

"You do?"

"Aye, I do."

"Would you tell me why you do?" she asked curiously. He had been curiously tepid on the name of Aegon that they had talked about not too long ago and she wondered at his change of heart now.

And then a notion came to her.

"You are not simply telling me this because you fear I am delicate after my several days in bed?" she demanded.

Jaime blinked and she could tell that she had caught him off guard. "Not at all your grace."

"You're certain?" she asked. "Because more than loyalty or service, you know that I value honesty above everything else. I always have."

He chuckled. "I know. And I am answering honestly. I like the name."

"Well then would you tell me why?" she asked turning her head towards him as they walked down the sunlit garden path towards the shore.

"Like you informed me earlier your grace," he said. "It is a strong name. A royal prince or princess will need to be strong in this keep. Rhaenys was the name given for one of the strongest women in Targaryen history. It is a fitting name. Although I must say that I am glad you did not decide to name her Rhaenyra."

Elia raised an eyebrow at him. "Why not?"

"There is far too much in family fighting associated with that name," the knight explained. "If you wish for this child to rebuild a dynasty I would not name her after a woman who nearly tore it down over a throne."

"An apt notion," the princess said. "Besides between the two of us, I've never liked the way it sounded."

Jaime blinked at her before he began to chuckle and they were joined by Elia's own giggles as the two carried on in their slow walk.

All in all it was a quiet afternoon where nothing significant in particular was talked about and a blossoming friendship between two friends was allowed to form.

Little did Elia know that she was going to need it in the next four years.

Ω

 _Six Months Later…_

Elia had suffered no more fainting spells in the last few months since she had been a victim of her first one and for that she was grateful.

Her belly had continued to swell, pleasing her and the queen though it had caused more aches and pains to form in her back and feet and more of the servants having to massage her aching feet in the evenings.

Rhaegar had become increasingly more distant throughout this pregnancy to Elia's never ending sadness and confusion and one evening about a month ago, it had bothered her enough that she had confronted him about it in the main library of the keep.

Needless to say, it had not gone well.

 _"Why do you feel the need to hide in this place all the time?"  
_

 _The silver haired prince had looked up from his table and upon seeing her, flicked his violet eyes back to his books as if she were no more interesting than a servant. "Should you not be resting?"  
_

 _Elia sighed. "I am not a delicate flower Rhaegar in need of constant sheltering. In fact it is better that I be up and around getting exercise so that the babe will not be weak and sickly."_

 _"_ _Good then," he had said not lifting his eyes from the large manuscript on the table top. "The heir to the throne must not have weak blood. He is blood of the dragon and must be strong."  
_

 _Elia bristled slightly and wondered if she should leave before her Dornish resolve settled in her heart.  
_

 _No, this was her husband and she felt she knew him well enough to speak her him, or at least do it with some tempered and measured words.  
_

 _It might have been helpful if Jaime were in the room with her as he seemed to be her safety net of late and she seemed to oddly enough draw comfort from his presence but for the moment he was standing outside the door with Ser Arthur so as to give them privacy.  
_

 _So she was on her own.  
_

 _But that wasn't going to stop her so she straightened her shoulders and pushed ahead.  
_

 _"What is so important in these books that you feel the need to pore through them instead of focusing on what is really important?" she asked, somewhat surprised at her own boldness. "This is your child Rhaegar, your son or daughter. Are they not deserving of your attention?"  
_

 _"What is it that you think I am doing Elia?" the prince all but snapped looking up from his books as if he were annoyed at being disturbed. "This has much to do with our child's future as well as the future of the realm?"  
_

 _Elia wanted to ask what on earth that meant but she refrained and pushed on to the more pressing questions. "In what way? How does poring through books allow you any insight into our child's future?"  
_

 _Rhaegar sighed and pushed the book aside. "Elia my family is holding on to power by a thread. Only I and my brother exist to carry on our family line. We are in need of some divine intervention if we do not wish for the dynasty of my family to collapse. Our child may be the cause of resurrection for our line. But it goes ever more beyond that."  
_

 _Elia blinked. She had no idea what he was talking about. "What is this rambling? You were not like this before."  
_

 _"Because I had not truly seen before," the prince said vehemently. "But it seems my family in the nether regions of this land does."  
_

 _What on earth did that mean?  
_

 _"Rhaegar please," Elia tried again. "How is this helpful? I do not understand."  
_

 _"No you do not," the handsome prince said, eyes already returning to his books. "But you will understand when the child is born. He will be special Elia. I can already feel it. He will be strong and he will bear a name worthy of that strength."  
_

 _"What….What makes you so convinced that this child will be a boy?" Elia asked.  
_

 _She had not told her husband as yet that she was having twins as she did not want to upset the balance of order yet. If this was how he reacted when he learned she was pregnant with one child, how was he to react if he learned she was carrying two?  
_

 _She suppressed a shudder.  
_

 _"He will be a boy," the prince muttered. "Even more than that he will be a prince. He will the prince of the promise."  
_

 _"What promise?" Elia demanded. "I don't understand."  
_

 _"Soon you will see," her husband said turning back to his books. "Soon they will all see."  
_

 _Unwilling to give up yet, Elia had walked closer to the table and had seen books of prophecy and pages of dreams that had been had and had again.  
_

 _The words 'born amidst salt and smoke' were written on the page more than once and Elia found herself struggling to make sense of it all.  
_

 _What did it all mean?  
_

 _What was this promise?  
_

 _She had more questions than answers about everything lately and answers were the one thing that it seemed her husband was determined to withhold from her.  
_

 _Gathering courage, the Dornish princess sidled closer and put her hand on the page of the book, covering what the prince had read. "Will you please talk to me? I want to understand but I don't."  
_

 _Calmly, the prince moved her hand from the page as if he were removing a paperweight and set it to one side.  
_

 _"Ser Jaime?" he called.  
_

 _A moment later the blonde knight appeared in the doorway and looked between the unnaturally calm prince and the irate Elia with some curiosity. "Yes your grace?"  
_

 _"Please escort the princess to her chambers. My wife is in need of rest. She is carrying the heir to the throne."  
_

 _"Of course your grace," Jaime said quietly, but his green eyes flashed with an unknown fire when he saw Elia's pink cheeks and her furious expression.  
_

 _He calmly strode forward and took Elia's arm before guiding her out of the room.  
_

 _The moment they were outside of the library and a good distance down the hall, Elia wrenched her arm from Jaime grasp and strode ahead.  
_

 _Her eyes were stinging with frustrated tears but she knew enough not to let them fall. She was only conscious of Jaime's footsteps behind her and even his presence was not enough to make her feel calm at this time.  
_

What is wrong with him? _She thought to herself in a rage._ I don't understand why it is more important to him to spend time with his books and his prophecies and dreams than his own family! And what is all this about a promised prince? _  
_

 _It didn't sound good of that she was sure and the Dornish princess immediately placed a hand over her belly protectively, as if she could somehow reinforce the protection of the two lives she was carrying.  
_

How dare he!? _she thought to herself as she scrubbed furiously at her eyes in frustration._ How dare he treat me thus? Dismiss me as if I am some sort of servant that he can beck and call as he wishes. I am his wife! Someday soon I will be his queen and these are our children! What is more important than them?

 _Elia hadn't realized how far her steps had carried her until she was out into the gardens once more and storming down the path with Jaime Lannister following her. She could tell he wanted to ask if she was alright but at the moment she wasn't fit for conversation.  
_

 _And he seemed to realize that because he remained silent and simply followed her down the stones like the loyal knight he was.  
_

 _After a time, they came to the sunlit shore again and landed upon a rocky area and Elia's sudden burst of energy from her husband's dismissal seemed to leave her. She suddenly felt tired and made for one of the rocks so that she might sit down.  
_

 _The ground was uneven however and she stumbled slightly before she felt Jaime's hand reach out and take her arm, steadying her.  
_

 _She huffed, both annoyed with her husband and at her own lack of balance from her steadily growing belly. Though she loved the lives growing inside of her, she couldn't wait for this pregnancy to be over. "Thank you Jaime."  
_

 _"You're welcome your grace," he said calmly.  
_

 _He helped Elia sit down on the rock and stood at her side hand on his sword as it always was looking for unseen threats.  
_

 _Elia said nothing at first though she had an inkling that the knight knew what was the cause of her mood. But finally the silence became too thunderous for her to take and she let out an exhaustive sigh. "I don't understand him."  
_

 _Jaime was silent for a moment before he responded with even quieter words. "I think there are very few people who do understand the prince your grace."  
_

 _Elia snorted, some of her frustration abating. "That's not very comforting Jaime."  
_

 _The knight said nothing, forcing her to air more of her aggravations. "I have been patient, I have been devoted and I have been calm these last few months with his disinterest in me and that is something that I can handle. But to be disinterested in his children and more about how their lives will play out with regards to a…prophecy is simply…"  
_

 _She trailed off, not really having words for how bewildered she was and was even more frustrated when Jaime still said nothing.  
_

 _She didn't really know what she wanted him to say but she wished he would say something, even something completely off topic as at least it would get her mind off of her infuriating husband and his ever increasing strange behaviour.  
_

 _Finally he did.  
_

 _"You have been patient your grace," he said quietly, almost as if he were speaking to himself. "I cannot tell you why he is expressing disinterest. But I hope there is a good reason."  
_

 _"What other reason could be more important than his children?" Elia snapped. She hated that she was beginning to sound a little like a petulant child, but she couldn't help it._

 _She was also pregnant gods damn it! There should be some things that she was allowed to do when she was carrying children. It was probably a result of her up and down emotions anyway.  
_

 _"I don't know," the knight said again. "But perhaps when the royal children do arrive he will show more interest."  
_

 _"He will have to," Elia growled. "I don't want my children growing up with a distant father. I have no memory of my own father and that is not what I want for them. Their father will be a king one day but that does not negate his responsibilities to them."  
_

 _Jaime grimaced slightly when she mentioned the word father and the princess wondered for a moment if he were thinking about his own absent father. She still remembered the cruel words and expressions of Tywin Lannister the last time she and her brother had seen him and shivered at the thought. There was a man who it would be very hard to like.  
_

I imagine that time has only made him more bitter, _she thought to herself sadly._ I can't recall the last time I ever saw a smile on the old lion's face.

 _Elia stole a glance up at Jaime who was staring impassively out to sea and for a moment she thought he looked exactly like his father. She didn't know what a younger Tywin had looked like but if he was as handsome as Jaime was becoming, Elia had a feeling that he would have had his pick of the women in the Seven Kingdoms.  
_

 _Yet he had chosen and loved his cousin Joanna Lannister.  
_

My how the powers of fate change hands, _she thought to herself.  
_

 _Jaime spoke then, surprising her. "He will come into his own when the royal children are born your grace."  
_

 _"How are you so certain?" she asked.  
_

 _Jaime shrugged but there was a strange look in his eyes, a hollowness that had not been there before or perhaps she was only now noticing.  
_

 _"Being a father affects a person," he said quietly. "I don't know much about the discipline but I do know that."  
_

 _"In a good or a bad way though?" Elia asked.  
_

 _Jaime sighed and almost sounded older than he was. There was a faraway look on his face as if he were contemplating some long buried memory. "That I do not know."  
_

 _"And that's what I'm worried about," Elia said sighing. "Its one thing if he rejects me as his wife. That is something I can handle. But if he rejects his children…I don't think I would be able to stand that."  
_

 _"He won't do that," Jaime said and the hardness in his green eyes had blazed to life in the form of an emerald fire. "And he won't reject you either your grace."  
_

 _Elia frowned at him. He sounded so sure of himself that she wanted to believe him. "And how do you know that?"  
_

 _Jaime looked back out to see then but she was still able to see that the light in his eyes had not died an inch. When he spoke again, Elia thought that she had imagined it because the words were so faint.  
_

 _"Because if he rejects you your grace than he is the biggest fool in the world."_

And now six months later, here they were with her children soon to be born and her husband still withdrawn and distant, more interested in his books and scrolls than in her and the fact that they were about to be parents.

Elia had accepted it after a few months, realizing she was wasting time and breath on her husband and instead choosing to spend time with her good mother and good brother Viserys. It had been therapeutic for her to focus on something else other than the increasing heartache that her husband did not love her and never would.

Jaime had been a constant presence in those months as well and she had come to value him in a way that she had not expected she would when she first arrived in the capital.

His nearness to her because of his role in serving her had become a great comfort and Elia was thankful for it every day.

In this way she had someone to pore out her frustrations to whenever they came upon her as her husband was all but non-existent.

But it wasn't just Rhaegar that she was concerned about.

King Aerys behaviour had become increasingly more erratic and strange in these last few months and to Elia's chagrin he had become as obsessed with the child in her belly as her husband seemed to not be.

His interest made the hair on the back of the princess's neck stand up and she had become very careful when walking the halls, looking around every corner to see if he was coming her way.

Elia hated behaving like this but aside from a few private moments, the air in the keep had become oppressive and she was beginning to regret coming to the capital to be wed to the prince.

She had had reservations when messengers had come from the king to her brother to propose this marriage but now that she was here and carrying two dragons in her belly the worry was becoming more and more.

Elia knew that the worst thing she could do for this pregnancy was to upset herself but there were times when she couldn't help it.

All she could do was remind herself to take deep breaths and continue with her life and routine as if she were not treading on eggshells.

At this time, she was in the sept of the keep currently praying to the Mother for her mercy on her unborn children, that there would be no complications when they came and that they would be born healthy and well. She also prayed more quietly to the Warrior for courage in her situation and that he would give her strength and determination in the face of her husband's rejection, that no matter what happened she would be a good queen and a good wife and a good mother despite her circumstances.

Ser Jaime was standing only a few feet away keeping a patient eye on her as she continued in her prayers.

She had once asked him if he ever prayed and he had surprised her by laughing with a darkness that should not have been there and saying to her that he did not believe in the gods.

When she had asked him why, his face had turned dark and she decided it wasn't worth it to know. In any case this was the first time she had seen him in a Sept since she had been married and he looked somewhat uncomfortable with the place.

She was kneeling at the altar while the septons and Septas moved silently in the shadows, his eyes flickering back and forth between the Warrior and the Maiden for some odd reason.

Elia shook her head slightly and returned to her prayers, her eyes closed and murmured words passing from her lips.

She glanced up at the stern face of the Mother looking at her from the edge of the point of the seven crowned star as if imploring the statue to come to life and talk to her.

"Please," she whispered quietly. "Please let long life and health come to my children. And give me strength to see their birth through."

As what always happened with statues, the Mother remained infuriatingly quiet.

What was not quiet however the sound of footsteps on the stones behind her.

Elia had just managed to get to her feet and turn around when the long robes and frail form of the king came around the corner into the sept and started towards her.

The princess somehow managed not to cringe when she saw the king's leering face and shot a glance at Jaime whose expression had gone hard and the young man took a step forward towards her before stopping.

The king smiled at her, but it was not a welcome smile, rather one of suppressed and kept secrets.

"Hello my dear," he said in that frail high voice of his that often caused the hair on the neck of everyone around him to stand up. "I am sorry to disturb your prayers."

"Not at all your grace," Elia said, somehow managing to keep her voice strong as she vowed to look her good father in the eye. I was only praying for the health of the child that I am carrying."

She had not told the king that she was carrying twins either as she was afraid of the implications and what he might do if he knew. More importantly, she was afraid of what he might do if he built up an expectation and for some reason if it was not what he wanted.

Elia had seen the bruises on the arms of the queen no matter how much she had tried to hide them and absently ran her hands up and down her arms as if she were cold. The king had never laid a hand on her, but she shuddered at the mere thought of him doing so.

"Ah yes," the king said as if he were suddenly feeling nostalgic and wanting to reminisce. "Your time is coming soon isn't it my dear?"

"Yes your grace," Elia replied with as much strength as she could muster. Out of the corner of her eye she could tell that Jaime had taken a few steps closer which was relieving.

"There are only a few more weeks to go. In fact it could be any time now."

"Excellent," the king said but the way his eyes gleamed as he took in her swelled belly were anything but happy. He seemed pleased but Elia had a feeling it was for an entirely different reason than the notion that he would soon have grandchildren.

"We will soon have an heir to the throne," he continued and she bristled slightly. "It may in fact be a girl your grace."

"It may," the king said as if the prospect were merely a passing fancy that had taken hold of Elia. "But even if it is she will be responsible for carrying on the Targaryen line. Each dragon has a role to play and each one will."

Elia opened her mouth in confusion to ask what he meant before the realization sunk in and horror stole over her like a sudden storm. Should this child be a daughter, than its fate was already sealed. A daughter would be given to the only other unattached Targaryen male at the moment.

Viserys.

Her daughter would be the wife of her uncle whether she wanted it or not and the pattern of incest would never cease.

Marrying cousin to cousin was not uncommon, but Elia did not want the strain of madness to continue. Viserys was a good boy but he would grow up under the influence of his father and perhaps even become like him.

Would he abuse Rhaenys as Queen Rhaella herself was abused by her husband?

The thought made the Dornish princess feel ill and she fought to keep her nausea down that had naught to do with morning sickness.

But she did none of that and schooled her features into an expressionless mask and gave the king a small nod, as small as she could manage. "Very well your grace."

In her own mind she was screaming with everything in her to tell this old foolish man where he could put his Targaryen ideals of blood purity and nonsense, but she bit the words back and simply focused on keeping herself sane.

"Good," the king said somewhat gleefully. "I will leave you to your prayers then my dear. I hope the Seven are listening to me with this pregnancy. Yes I feel it in my bones that this will be different. My descendents will be strong…strong with the blood of the dragon in their veins."

He shuffled off with Ser Gerold and Ser Oswell following him but Elia didn't breathe until he had left the Sept completely.

When he was gone, she buried her face in her hands and took several deep breaths to calm herself. There were no tears in her eyes but she was still feeling emotional.

She felt a strong hand on her shoulder and looked up into the face of Jaime Lannister who was looking at her so hard, she felt uncomfortable and wanted to squirm beneath his gaze.

"Are you well your grace?" he asked quietly and she took another deep breath.

"I will be Ser Jaime. I will be, but come let us leave this place. I think the gods have heard enough of my prayers this day."

Ω

The pain…oh sweet merciful gods the pain…

It had been little more than two weeks since her conversation in the Sept with Aerys Targaryen and now here she was in the birthing bed, biting down on her lips and trying not to scream with everything that she had.

Mercifully it had not begun with her collapsing like a bloody fool as she had done several months earlier and needing to be carried to the maester.

Elia had awoken that morning with her sheets went between her legs and upon seeing it one of the maids and run to fetch grand maester Pycelle.

The maester had come as fast as his stiff old legs had allowed but by the time he had arrived, the contractions had already begun.

He had shooed almost everyone but a few maids out of the room and a startled Ser Jaime who had come to the door at the sound of her screams demanding to know what was wrong.

He seemed to have some idea for a shadow of fear had passed over his face that she had never seen before and wondered where it came from before her body had been wracked with pain again and she had been forced to forget everything else.

It seemed as if she had been feeling it for days though it couldn't have been more than an hour.

"Push your grace, push," the old man urged. "I can see the babes head."

Elia grabbed hold of the sheets and pushed with all of her might, vowing that this would be the worst she had ever felt and there would be no more.

She only sagged back onto the sheets of the bed when the sound of an infant's shrill cries filled the silent and tense room and the maids began to coo.

"A healthy girl," the maester said as he held up the babe. "A royal princess."

A girl, perhaps she should have been dismayed at the fact that this daughter may have had to have been wed to her uncle but for the moment she could only feel delight and relief.

"She's beautiful your grace," one of the serving girls by the name of Anya said.

"Give her to me," Elia commanded weakly only to see the maester exchange a glance with the servants. "I am afraid I cannot do that yet your grace."

"What? Why not?"

"Because the second babe should be along any time now."

Elia had no more than a second to contemplate this before she was wracked with pain once more and biting down on her lips with the force of a clamping vice. She was certain she ahd drawn blood.

"You are almost there your grace," the maester encouraged. "I can see the babe's head. Two more pushes and he should be with us."

 _Two?!_ Elia thought in agony. _I don't think I can manage even one!_

But somehow she did and in the next instant it was all over. A second pair of lungs wailed into the cool quiet and after scrubbing the child down with warm water mixed with salt to prevent infection, the maester turned to her with a beaming smile and presented her with both children.

"A princess your grace," he said. "And a prince."

Elia could hardly believe it as she lay back on the bed after the afterbirth was pushed forth and she was cleaned with her children in her arms. A girl and a boy…an heir to the throne and a beautiful little girl.

She could hardly believe it even though she had known she was carrying twins for months.

"Rhaenys," she whispered touching the face of the little girl. "And Aegon. My son and my daughter."

There didn't seem to be anymore words she could say but that and she didn't want to.

It didn't even matter that her husband was absent again and would no doubt have to be notified before long.

She almost couldn't bring herself to care that he wasn't there. Her children were born alive and healthy and now no one would ever doubt her ability to provide heirs to the throne. She hoped absently that there would be more.

But not now…now there was only her and Rhaenys and Aegon.

Their small little faces were resting against her chest asleep after she had fed them and Elia was afraid to move for fear of disturbing them.

When the maester had handed them both to her, she had been astonished to see herself in their faces. While Rhaenys took after her in almost every way with her dark hair and olive skin save for the violet eyes of the dragon line, Aegon looked little like her. He took after his father a good deal and was fair haired and fair skinned like Rhaegar.

But their eyes….

Their eyes were all their father.

Elia had seen the deep violet eyes of Rhaegar Targaryen staring back at her out of the faces of her son and daughter and was glad that at least they had some of him even if most of them was in fact her.

 _Perhaps now he will take more of an interest in his children,_ she thought to herself sleepily after she had been left alone to rest. _Perhaps now we will be a family._

Ω

 **Like I said in the previous chapter, I chose to make Rhaenys and Aegon twins because it will speed up the timeline and at this point of the story juncture, that is a necessary thing. Rhaenys is still the elder of the two, just by not so much. In the next chapter we will be going to a time jump as I want to get to the rebellion as fast as possible because that is when the story really starts. Don't forget to review and I hope you enjoyed the chapter!**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Jaime

 _They are growing quickly,_ the knight thought to himself.

After the princess had given birth to the royal twins the entire city had been in celebration for days. Prince Aegon and Princess Rhaenys were blessed by the septons and a tourney was held in their honor.

Jaime had stood beside Elia for days watching the clashing for swords and the pounding of hooves against the sand of the tourney grounds and wanted to laugh himself sick.

What did children know of the importance of tourneys? Or war for that matter? They were not even in the tourney grounds at the time and Elia never stayed there for long before heading back to her chambers to see to them.

Jaime had watched fondly as she wouldn't let a nurse anywhere near them, preferring to nurse them herself and looking on them with love the whole time.

The blonde imagined to himself that that was what his own mother had looked at him and Cersei with and felt a lump in his throat before he had had to force himself to look away many times.

It surprised him that while Princess Rhaenys looked very much like her mother except with her father's violet eyes, Prince Aegon took after his father a great deal. He did not have the silvery blonde hair of the Targaryens, but he did have golden blonde hair, almost like Jaime's himself. He was also fair skinned and violet eyed unlike his sister who possessed the olive complexion of the Dornish.

If they did not share the same eye color of the Targaryens he would think that one was a royal and the other perhaps a bastard.

He would never say such things aloud however.

The one thing he also did not express however was his disbelief about Prince Rhaegar's lack of interest in spending time with his family. The princess had given him two beautiful children one of whom would inherit the throne and yet still the dragon prince was caught up in his books.

Often times Jaime could hear him muttering a phrase constantly.

 _The dragon must have three heads…._

What the bloody hell did that mean?

He had said it so often that Jaime was convinced the man was becoming like his father in his talent for repetition.

The words _fire and blood_ had been said so often in the last few months that Jaime now wanted to pull out his hair whenever he heard it.

Gods but Targaryens could be annoying at times.

But it wasn't merely the prince's continued persistence in looking through old books that was irritation to the young knight, it was his lack of interest in Elia Martell herself that bothered him.

Jaime couldn't understand it.

Not only was Princess Elia a stunning woman and one of the most beautiful he had ever seen, with her exotic looks and golden brown eyes, but she was also kind gentle compassionate and caring. Very few women he had met had that sort of disposition. It was so rare to find and he could not help but compare Elia and his own twin Cersei now no matter what the princess did.

Much of what Elia did, he could never imagine Cersei doing. She would not have half the patience for what the princess did and he could not imagine the blonde even being kind to the servants.

His sister was the worst sort of entitled noble's daughter that he had ever met. Gods help him he still loved her but he was not so blind anymore that he did not recognize her flaws. She was impatient, loud, demanding, judgement and far too impatient to see anything through.

It was a bit of a relief being away from that sort of personality. Of course he felt guilty for even thinking that but he couldn't help himself.

At the moment the blonde knight was standing in the gardens watching Princess Elia with her children.

Some months had passed since their birth and they were beginning to crawl now. It was rather amusing watching their small forms move slowly about on the blanket on the garden path that Elia had placed them on.

He was somewhat amused that already Rhaenys was acting like a mother hen around her brother. She was the elder of the twins and seemed to be a bit more like her mother than even he had expected at this early age. Whenever Aegon made to try and crawl off the blanket that they had been placed on, Rhaenys would reach out and seize his tiny foot, stopping him in place.

Aegon would make several squealing noises and flap his little arms around most amusingly but his sister would not let go of his foot.

And then she would somehow manage to crawl up next to him, grab his little face with her other hand and look him in his violet eyes as if she were trying to impart some great piece of wisdom.

The first time Jaime had seen her do that, he had laughed himself sick, causing Rhaenys to look up at him in surprise at him, wondering why this tall man was making so much noise.

These days being around the twins was allowing Jaime to smile even more than he had before in his seven and ten years.

Elia had been at the capital a little more than a year now and her children were bringing a smile to his face far more than there had been before.

He couldn't help it.

Bitter and angry though he was, he couldn't help but smile at the sweetness of children and feel somewhat glad that besides their mother he was the one who saw them the most.

Even in her first few months of life, Rhaenys was reminding him of her mother in her mannerisms and he chuckled to think of the formidable Dornishwoman she would become.

She would be more Martell then Targaryen, of that he was certain.

As for Aegon, he couldn't tell yet. The boy was much quieter than his sister and more thoughtful.

Well…as thoughtful as a child of no more than seven months could be. He was also insanely curious about the world around him and never ceased to want to explore everything that he could.

It was all very amusing to Jaime.

He had counted a few times within the last few weeks that Prince Aegon had somehow managed to get off that blanket and crawl away from his mother and sister before anyone noticed him.

All except Jaime of course.

And during those times it had been up to the knight to go after the little dragon and make sure that he was brought back before he could come to harm.

"There now your grace, where are you going?" he would ask and the little blonde would cock his head up at the sound of Jaime's voice as if he were wondering if this was the giant who had spoken.

Jaime would then chuckle and bend down to pick up the small dragon who would then rest against his chest and bring him back to the blanket in the gardens where his mother would be waiting to scold him for not staying with her and his sister.

 _"Don't scold him too much your grace," he had said once. "Prince Aegon wants to know more about the world like his father and grandfather. Surely there's nothing wrong with that."  
_

 _A dark look had flickered over the princess's face and he wanted to grimace. "He'll get to explore when he's old enough. Seven months is far too young."  
_

 _Jaime had nodded and set the prince back down before going to stand a few feet away from the bench where they were sitting as he had always done.  
_

 _The moment he had set Aegon down and turned however, the little boy had sent up a wail that shot through the lion of Lannister like a knife.  
_

 _He turned back around to find the little prince looking up at him with his eyes filled with tears. He raised one arm up high as if wanting Jaime to pick him up again and the knight blinked in surprise.  
_

 _Elia's dark expression had faded also to one of delighted amusement. "I do believe my son likes you Jaime."  
_

He might be the first Targaryen that does, _the blonde thought to himself.  
_

 _He glanced down at the prince who was still staring at him with his deep violet eyes and making small squeaking noises, demanding attention.  
_

 _He glanced at the princess but saw from her encouraging smile that she didn't mind at all.  
_

 _For a moment, panic caused Jaime's heart to race. The last time he had held a child it was his little brother Tyrion and that had been eons ago.  
_

 _He swallowed hard, suddenly more nervous than when he had received his cloak and place in the Kingsguard from the Mad King himself over a year ago.  
_

 _Jaime took a deep breath and then bent down so he might look the little prince in the eye. Little Aegon blinked at the closeness and then surprised Jaime by reaching out one of his short arms and resting his tiny hand against the knight's face.  
_

 _Jaime would have flinched back and cursed if something hadn't stopped him. He couldn't tell the expression that Aegon was looking at him with but he knew he had the babe's attention in that moment.  
_

 _Aegon blinked before running his tiny hand down the side of Jaime's face and somehow leaving goosebumps in his wake.  
_

 _How was that possible?  
_

 _Jaime hadn't been around children since….well since Elia and Oberyn had come to the Rock was seemed to be ages ago.  
_

 _He stared at the tiny prince who seemed to be in no hurry to look away and who then reached out his other hand and placed it against Jaime's face.  
_

 _And then he patted both sides of the knight's face and laughed loud and high to himself as if the most amusing thing had happened.  
_

 _The babe's laughter was infectious and suddenly Jaime found himself smiling without even knowing why.  
_

 _Elia's laughter than joined her son's and Jaime looked up at her to see a great gentleness in her eyes when she looked at her son. He had seen that look in her eyes few times since she had come to the capital and he was glad to see it back on her face.  
_

 _As far as he was concerned, her beautiful face should never be without a smile one it._

He knew he would always remember that day as the one where he had smiled the most since the white cloak had been draped about his shoulders.

He didn't know that Elia was watching him the entire time until she spoke aloud that day. "Aegon seems to like you very much Jaime."

The knight blinked and looked down at his feet that were encased in metal where he was surprised and amused to see the small princely babe had crawled off his blanket and reached his feet. He had both of his hands on the knight's feet and was patting them incessantly as if to obtain Jaime's attention. He had also shifted himself to a sitting position so he would be more comfortable and seemed quite pleased with himself that he had made it this far without his mother and sister noticing him.

It was not the first time that he had done this and Jaime chuckled low in his throat as he bent down in front of the tiny dragon.

"Your pardon your grace," he said. "But I believe young prince Aegon is going to be quite willful as he grows."

Elia groaned and rubbed a hand across her forehead seeming both amused and exasperated. "You speak as if this is a new development Jaime. He's always liked you."

She spoke as if the notion pleased her and the knight looked at her in surprise before he bent down and picked up a squealing prince Aegon.

The little boy gave a peal of laughter and patted his tiny hands against the metal breastplate the knight wore across his chest.

Jaime felt a warm feeling course through him at the sound of the infant's laughter and chuckled slightly to himself.

It still amazed him that he was able to still feel this lightness of hard at all when oftentimes there was a bitterness in him that was so strong it often caused the taste of iron to rise in his mouth.

But when he was around the innocence of the royal prince and princess…well the shroud that housed the bitterness and the guile seemed to lift somewhat.

There were many times when he questioned what he was doing here and wondered if he had shit for honor when he had to stand outside the door of the king's bed chamber and listen to the muffled cries of queen Rhaella from within.

There had been times when he told Ser Barristan or whoever had been standing with him at the time that they should protect the queen.

Their answers had always haunted him.

 _We took a vow to protect the king…not to judge him…_

Those were the words of men who regarded the orders of the royals as more important than what was right.

What was right after all?

Was it to obey one's king and keep your eyes and head down when someone was suffering who was innocent?

Or was it to defy one's king and act as your own conscience dictated despite what other's thought?

These were questions he didn't think that he would ever have to answer and now here he was, barely seven and ten and thinking about things that a man twice his age might find difficult to answer.

"You seem pensive Jaime," Elia observed and he blinked before remembering where he was and setting Prince Aegon down on the blanket beside his sister. "Are you well?"

"Merely thinking your grace."

"Thinking about what?"

"Dark things your grace," Jaime muttered. "Things that a man would struggle to answer."

Instead of frowning and changing the subject, the princess simply handed Rhaenys a toy that her daughter had been reaching for and turned to fully face him. "Tell me."

He regarded her warily. "The thoughts of a knight are too lowly your grace."

"Piss on that."

He blinked in surprise both at her words and the tone with which they were spoken. He looked at her and saw that her beautiful face was grim with determination that he had rarely seen from her.

When the children had been born he had found himself pacing outside of the bedchamber while the maesters and the servants were in there for what seemed like hours. Prince Lewyn who had been standing with him had not seen it fit to comment on his nerves for by the tense look on his face Jaime had been able to tell that Elia's uncle was nervous as well.

She had pushed through the labour of both the children even though she had lost blood and energy and countless other things and yet the result of it had been the royal prince and princess.

Jaime might have been beginning to slowly dislike Rhaegar for his inattention to Elia and the children, but Rhaenys and Aegon were a part of him too and he could not help but feel a little jealous.

Jealous, because he had renounced his chance to have such blessings. He had no doubt that Rhaegar was a good man in his own way but how could one ascribe to such things when he neglected his family and spent most of his time in the library locked away with old books filled with prophecies and the like?

Buggered if he knew.

He wondered what his family would think if they could see his thoughts right now.

His father would disapprove of his growing fondness for Princess Elia and cite it as folly and foolish thinking.

Cersei would no doubt fly into a rage although that didn't bother him as much as he first thought. She hated sharing what she regarded as hers. In fact he had joined the Kingsguard to be closer to her and now it was all for naught. He was indeed serving a woman who would be the queen but it was not his sister.

And yet he still could not have her.

A cruel jest by the gods he was sure.

Tyrion however…Tyrion was the only one who might have some insight into what he was feeling and say that it was not a bad thing.

But his little brother wasn't here.

"Tell me what is on your mind," the princess continued and Jaime blinked remembering what they had been talking about.

He took a deep breath, wondering if he was about to overstep his bounds before he spoke again but then decided it didn't matter. He had become more comfortable with the princess of late as they had known each other well for a little over a year now and had had a good deal many conversations about a great many things.

Surely she could answer this question as well. Besides, they were alone and there was no one to over hear them.

"Very well then," he replied. "If you can answer me this as pragmatically as you can your grace then I will be very impressed. Suppose there is a knight serving a man of a great house. The man has family history and because of his status thinks he is not able to answer to anything he does. He has men to guard him at all times and those men are honorable, honorable to the point of not questioning what their lord does even if what he does is atrocious. So my question is…which is more honorable, to turn a blind eye to the suffering this man causes because those knights did not take an oath to judge but to guard him, or to act as their consciences dictate and hold the man accountable for his crimes?"

Elia stared at him for a long time, so long that he wanted to blush. It was a very obvious metaphor and had any of his sworn brothers been around they would have known right away what he was talking about. But for the moment, the blonde didn't feel the effort in being subtle. Sometimes the best way to get a question answered was to phrase it as directly as possible.

"And as such, does this man question his own honor in serving a man who has none despite the time honored institution as serving as protector to this great man?" she asked and Jaime knew she had caught on.

"Perhaps," he said shortly.

"Ah," she said and then gave a heavy sigh. "There is no easy answer to that Jaime."

"I thought not," the knight replied quietly.

"Hold on," she said. "I said there was no easy answer, not that there was no answer at all. In situations of extreme threat to one's own honor, one must question why they chose to serve in the first place…and then act as his conscience dictates. Serving someone does not make that someone a god. King or lord or otherwise, if the people who serve him do not question his decisions and actions, terrible or odd as they may be then they have handed divine status to that man and may perhaps share in his actions as accomplices. Serve with honor, with integrity…and above all else, serve with caution. No man is a god and to serve without questions is to serve without honor."

Jaime stared at the princess for a long time in complete astonishment. Never had he expected such insight to come out of her mouth. He had never thought her a simpleton, but never had he thought of the Princess Elia as a deep thinker either.

She gave him a gentle and all of a sudden her stunning face became even more breathtaking, causing Jaime's heart to accelerate a good deal.

"Does that answer your question Jaime?" she asked.

"It does your grace," he said quietly. "More fully than you know."

"Good," the beautiful Dornish princess said before going back to her children. "I hope I can impress upon my children such lessons as they grow. The throne that Aegon will one day sit upon is a burden and a duty, not a right. He should know that even if his father and grandfather think otherwise."

Her tone took on a touch of bitterness when referring to Prince Rhaegar and not for the first time did Jaime wonder what sort of a fool the dragon prince was for all but abandoning this woman to the whims of court on account of some absurd manuscripts.

 _If she were mine, I would never leave her side,_ he thought to himself vehemently as he watched the princess wistfully. Then he blinked in surprise at himself.

Where had that come from?

He admitted that his feelings towards Elia had become much warmer of late, but that had in part to do with her children who were capable of softening the hardest heart.

And Jaime hadn't lived long enough to experience the brittleness of the world on his own mind and soul.

He hoped as he watched over Elia and her children that he would be able to remain in the peace of the moment as long as he was alive.

Perhaps if he was meant to guard the royal princess and prince and future queen that would not be too heavy a burden to bear despite the monster that he served.

Ω

Rhaenys and Aegon continued to grow and it wasn't long before they were walking, or rather stomping about the gardens and the halls of the Red Keep as they adjusted to their new ability to get around by themselves without being carried.

It was all rather amusing to watch and Jaime had observed them more than once with some amusement as they attempted to become more mobile.

Aegon would get the most determined of expressions on his face and furrow his brows as if trying to solve a very difficult problem as he marched from place to place.

His balance was still quite off and there had been many times where Jaime had had to catch him as he fell and make sure that he was unharmed.

The little blonde prince would give a squeal of laughter as the knight scooped him up and set him back on his feet.

And then something happened one day that changed Jaime's perspective of both Elia and the twins forever.

The four of them were sitting silently in the garden when Elia announced that she wanted to take the twins for a walk about the place to show them the gardens they would grow up in, in full.

Jaime chuckled at the suggestion but admitted it was a good idea though he was not sure how much the twins would take in, being not quite a year yet.

Elia still insisted however and that started them on the path they were currently on now.

The four of them were walking slowly down the stones in a bit of a strange position.

The twins were walking ahead of Elia, amusingly enough holding hands to keep their own balance and that of the other child as well. Elia followed behind them, keeping a careful eye on them and Jaime followed at a respectful distance behind her.

They were not speaking but for the moment that was fine. Oddly enough, the blonde was the one individual that Elia had spent the most time with since coming to the Red Keep, and only second was Queen Rhaella and her son Prince Viserys who was growing up to be a precocious child. He already loved to play with Rhaenys and Aegon and was quite protective of them, always making sure that when he was with them he held both of their hands.

It amused Jaime to no end to see the three children often walking together with Viserys in the middle and the twins on either side of him.

He would talk to them in his babyish voice and tell them what some of the plants were and which were the names of the gardens that they had passed.

He seemed a bit like a mother hen to his niece and nephew much to his mother and good sister's amusement.

 _The lad will make an excellent father one day,_ Jaime thought with a chuckle.

Because of his duties to Elia he had been spending less and less time with the king and with that time spent on brighter things, his mood had become increasingly less grim.

On that particular afternoon they were walking the garden path in their cross like procession when it appeared that Princess Rhaenys stepped on something that gave way beneath her tiny foot.

Quick as a whip, Jaime lunged forward and snatched her up in his arms as she started to fall so she would not hit the ground.

She looked at him in surprise when he turned her around and her large purple eyes went wide, making Jaime grin slightly at the adorable expression.

After a moment though, she did something which wiped that expression clean from his face and would keep it away for the rest of the afternoon.

For Rhaenys then uttered a large babyish smile and patted her hands against Jaime's armored chest before giving a high peal of laughter.

"Papa!" she squealed between fits of laughter, her eyes bright. "Papa!"

In that moment Jaime seemed to freeze and his blood turned to ice within him as the implications of her words washed over him.

He quickly set the princess back on her feet and stepped away from her as if she had burned him with the contact.

He could practically feel Elia's eyes on him and knew she had witnessed the whole thing. By her silence, he couldn't tell what her chief emotion was.

His was one of shock and astonishment, mixed with awe and a little bit of sorrow.

Though he was only seven and ten he imagined that holding a child like Rhaenys in his arms if he were slightly older would have been something that would have given him great joy.

But then she had called him father….gods.

It was a testament to how little Rhaegar Targaryen was around the twins that Elia's daughter would think such a thing.

The girl didn't even know her own father and Jaime had spent so much time with the royal prince and princess that it cemented him in at least one of their minds as a paternal figure before Rhaegar Targaryen.

Gods….

In that moment Jaime felt anger too…anger at the prince for putting him in a position like this. Rhaenys was too young to understand that her father was very rarely there to see her and so another man had taken that place in her young eyes.

It stung Jaime that someone would tell the little girl the truth.

He imagined for one moment that he would be quite pleased to have a daughter like the princess and thought that it was merely a cruel trick of the gods for tormenting him so with the word out of the mouth of a child who was barely a year old.

He suddenly felt bitterness settle over him again and all that had been stolen from him and he swallowed hard in an effort control himself.

Elia's eyes on him felt like weights but he had no desire to look at her for fear of what he would see on her beautiful face.

Was she displeased that her children had called the man who was sworn to protect them father instead of the prince who was truly such?

He didn't want to know.

So he didn't look up at her as they continued their walk but merely kept his eyes straight ahead and closed them for brief intervals so that he might get some of his composure back. The twins were almost a year older and so was he. At soon to be eight and ten years of age, he was no longer a child but a man.

His father would laugh himself sick at his sentimentality if he ever laughed that was, call him a daft bloody fool and reprove him for feeling any sort of affection for the royal children.

But gods damn it…he did.

And it made no sense whatsoever.

Aegon and Rhaenys were not his children, he had not sired them and yet they had come from a woman that he was tasked with protecting that he felt a certain fondness for.

Was it not therefore natural that he would feel the same thing for them as well?

Rhaenys' giggled response to him was also the first words she had ever spoken aside from muffled squeals and general incohesiveness about her daily life.

Perhaps that was what made it all the more shocking.

Her first word had been father and it had been to him while she was in his arms, albeit it very briefly.

Gods damn it.

He exhaled through his teeth and it came out more in a hiss as he walked behind Elia. Her stance was as stiff as he had ever seen and he felt like squirming when he wondered what she was thinking.

He wanted to know and didn't want to know at the same time.

The walk continued on for another hour and by that point, Jaime had relaxed some though he truly believed he would never be able to get the words of Rhaenys out of his mind.

If things weren't truly awkward before with all the odd moments he and Elia had spent together since they had both met again in King's Landing nearly two years earlier…they surely were now.

 _The gods must be playing some cruel joke on me,_ Jaime thought to himself and then decided that maybe he didn't believe in the gods anymore.

If they were there up in the clouds sitting on their thrones and looking at the humans beneath their feet and laughing their divine arses off at the pathetic sights said humans were and the messes they created for themselves well…then they were right bloody bastards.

 _No,_ Jaime thought to himself as he watched Princess Elia take the hands of both her children and help them walk along. _I don't believe in the gods anymore…but then perhaps I never did._

Jaime and Elia never did talk about Rhaenys' outburst as both of them found it far too awkward to address, although Elia's reasons were far different from Jaime's.

If Jaime had been looking at her, he would have seen the pain on her exquisite face when her daughter uttered one of the most important titles she would ever call someone to a man who ahd not sired her.

But the reason for her pain was twofold.

The first reason entailed her daughter's confusion about referring to Ser Jaime as her father when that title belonged to someone else. What stung and hurt deeply was that she had given Rhaegar two beautiful children and laboured and bled to bring them into the world and yet he was no more interested in them then he was in his books and dreams and prophecies. And thus Rhaenys had given one of the most important titles she would ever give to another man in confusion, thinking that her father was with her when the man who's seed she was, was not interested in her.

If Jaime had been looking he would have seen bitter tears fill the princess's golden brown eyes and threaten to spill over because Rhaenys' words were a stark reminder that the prince was not with them and likely would never be.

She had come to accept his disinterestedness in her, but for the dragon to spurn his own children was something she would never forgive him for.

He didn't show affection for them and neither did he abuse them…he was completely tepid when it came to his offspring. Ser Jaime cared for them more than he did and it was horrifically ironic and painful to admit.

He didn't love them…he might never love them.

As Jaime showed the princess and her children back to their chambers that night, he deliberately kept his eyes away from the princess's face because he could not bear to see the expression there.

If he had looked however, he might have seen something that surprised him.

Elia's second reason for the intense pain she was feeling had to do with a much deeper and morally grey reason.

She found herself wishing that she had not come to the capital at all…and wishing that by some miracle, she could have chosen another rather than Rhaegar.

Power was all well and good, but not at the expense of one's children or one's happiness.

And secretly, even though she felt incredibly guilty for doing so, a private part of the princess wished Rhaenys had been right.

But Jaime would not know that for another few years yet.

Ω

 _Two years later…_

 _Gods but this place is as much of a ruin as it was claimed to be. How it has not been torn down by now and replaced with something functional is beyond me._

Jaime was standing on the tourney grounds of Harrenhal watching as people milled about and horses canter past towards the tourney field itself.

Tents in all different colors and sizes had been set up to accommodate the visiting lords and their bannermen as well as sons and knights and other guests.

He was rather relieved that he had not chosen to participate in this tourney. As it was Prince Rhaegar would be competing in it and Jaime secretly had no wish to have his head handed to his father on a silver platter.

The prince had become increasingly reclusive in the last two year and now that his own children were three years old it had become more noticeable to them that there father was hardly ever around.

There had been a few times when he had come to the nursery and seen the prince with his children and he had wanted to laugh at the bitter irony. Both Aegon and Rhaenys regarded him as a stranger and looked at him warily.

Elia had been tense the entire time and had only relaxed after her husband had left, slumping forward a little onto herself as she tried to regain control of her emotions.

Jaime felt for her.

She had been incredibly brave for someone who had come to the capital only wanting to be a good queen, wife and mother.

Elia had more strength than many women he knew…perhaps even more then Cersei.

He just hoped that there would not be a time coming where her strength would be tested further in some horrendous way.

But as his sister liked to say, the game of thrones was being played and one did not come through that without one or two scars.

Jaime himself hated the game. All he had wanted was to be free of responsibilities and obligations. His father's approval had mattered to him once before but now being a Lannister seemed to be attached to a large amount of coin…no more and no less.

The sunlight shone brightly on the silver shield and helms worn by the knights and lords from a myriad of houses temporarily blinding Jaime as he walked with the royal party to the royal box, his hand never leaving his sword the whole while.

Elia walked gracefully a few feet ahead of him, her head held high and an impassive expression on her beautiful face which betrayed nothing she had faced in the capital in the last few years.

She was a lot of things but a poor actor she was not. The princess knew exactly when she should speak and when to keep silent and she had demonstrated that talent to great effect since the twins were born.

Jaime had seen tears on her face numerous times since she was married to Rhaegar but most of the time it had been before the twins were born.

Now she had perfected an expression of iron.

The blonde knew it was as much to protect herself as it was to ensure that no one knew her secrets. No one could know that the royal couple wasn't strong and prosperous. The birth of the twins had silenced any foul gossip that Elia was not able to bear royal children and Jaime knew that had been a source of pride for her.

Having spent a good deal of time with her over the last few years, he was well accustomed to her facial expressions and how she carried herself around court not to mention what every smile and blink of the eyes meant.

He was rather pleased that he had gleaned such information about her.

They were friends of course but in the last two years she had begun to mean much more to Jaime than that.

He knew he had begun to feel affection for her ever since she had become his to protect.

But he also cursed himself for feeling this way, a way that he had only ever thought Cersei could make him feel.

It was just as wrong and vain as well. Elia may not have been his sister but she was the wife of the future king and the mother of his children.

Jaime had questioned his own honor numerous times over the last few years for allowing himself even small private thoughts about what it would be like if he had been given such a woman as Elia Martell.

Gods but that would have been a different experience.

For one thing, she would have been a woman that he could love openly and not have to be ashamed or hide it.

He remembered the night Cersei had come to him to persuade him to join the Kingsguard and the wild passionate night it had been. He had never felt closer to her and instead of agreeing to her request right away had begged her to run away with him to the Free Cities where they might start a life together away from their father's notice. They wouldn't have to hide themselves or their love away there and they could be totally and completely free.

It had sounded like a dream come true to Jaime and all he had wanted was for his sister to see it his way and agree with him.

But she had not.

Power meant far too much to her, more even than her own family and that was never more evident than when she chose her desire for Rhaegar and to be a queen over her love for him.

Jaime felt burned and broken at her flat denial, but he had been still determined to be with her and so he had agreed to join the Kingsguard.

And so he found himself in a life he didn't ask for and didn't want, serving a mad man who raped and brutalized his wife which Jaime had to listen to every time Aerys felt like frequenting Rhaella's chambers.

He remembered the first time he had had to stand there and listen to the queen's screams, feeling chills go up and down his back, the corners of his eyes stinging with tears and his lower lip clenched between his teeth to keep it from quivering.

He had taken his breaths silently so as to make it unnoticeable that they were shuddering gulps of air.

He hadn't dared look to the right or to the left as the horrible act had continued and he hadn't been able to do anything about it.

He had wanted to…oh he had wanted to with everything in him to do something… _anything._

But he hadn't been able to get his feet to move.

Down by his sides his hands had tightened into vice like fists and had remained so for so long that they actually began to shake.

Jaime had screwed his eyes shut and wished for something to stop of his ears so that he might never hear such a sound again.

But he knew it was something that he would not be able to get out of his mind.

Just like he would never be able to get away from the Mad King.

The knight blinked as the royal party made its way into the royal box and waited for the king to be seated before the queen and prince Viserys did so as well. The prince was nearly seven and so eager about everything, asking a great many questions about the world which endeared him to his mother and Elia and amused the brothers of the Kingsguard a great deal.

He was a sweet boy, a great deal unlike his father in his sanity and a great deal unlike his elder brother in his priorities.

 _Here's hoping that the prince will be a better man than his brother is,_ Jaime thought wryly to himself.

He cast his eyes around to the shadow that the ruins of Harrenhal asked and fought against the urge to squirm.

Gods but this place could give the most seasoned warrior the shudders.

Though a magnificent wooden pavilion had been built away from the ruins which was currently filling with people and the rumble of conversation and excited whispers could be heard even here, Jaime had a hard time looking away from the grotesque stone structure that encompassed the whole area in its decayed and ancient horrific aura.

He imagined for one moment that there was still the faint wisps of smoke rising into the afternoon air and a hint that could be tasted rising above the old crumbling battlements.

 _What a fool Harren must have been to think that stone could repel fire. Nothing is immune to a blaze,_ he cringed, thinking of the horrific way in which the servant had died a few years earlier which had occurred shortly before he had held Elia in his arms for the first and last time.

"Do you see my son daughter?" Aerys suddenly said, breaking into Jaime's morbid and confusing nostalgic reverie and he glanced down at the king who was sitting just above

Elia where Jaime was standing behind her. "Do you not think that he will win this tourney?"

"The prince will surely conquer your grace," Elia replied calmly without missing a beat as if she had rehearsed the words time and time again. "No one can best a dragon."

The king might have given the Dornish princess an approving look but Jaime couldn't tell. "Indeed. My son is a true dragon. He will win this tourney and bring further honor and glory to our name."

"I want to fight in a tourney and win glory too," Prince Viserys piped up and some of the tension in the royal box abated and Elia smiled at her little brother in law. "And so you will your grace. You will fight in many tourneys and all the noble ladies will wish to be crowned your Queen of Love and Beauty."

"A touch early on for that my dear," Rhaella said somewhat dryly, but Jaime could see the slight twinkle in her eyes and knew it was her way of teasing the princess.

Elia knew it too, for she gave her good mother a small smile and folded her hands in her lap. She didn't dare look at Jaime as there were too many eyes on them for it to be deemed proper and she knew she was being watched by the most judging of eyes.

Jaime wondered if she hated tourneys at that point.

He thought he might if he was in her position.

Ironically enough, this was the second one the princess has been too. However her husband had not been competing in the one that occurred after their wedding and now he would be in this one.

Jaime had a feeling the prince would win.

He had seemed…driven lately regarding something he had found in one of those books of his that Jaime didn't know what contained.

He didn't much care either way but the prince did and Jaime couldn't help but think that whatever was in those books would be a detriment to those around him.

He blinked and tuned back into his surroundings when the king gave the signal for the tourney to begin for the day.

Dragon banners snapped in the breeze as the horses bearing different knights thundered towards each other bearing their long lances, poised for the other's chest or helm.

Jaime could feel as the whole crowd held its collective breath as the two knights neared each other.

Jaime could certainly see that the stakes seemed to be much higher here than in the tourney to celebrate the prince's wedding.

Lord Walter Whent had offered rewards three times greater than those offered by his own father in the tourney in honor of the birth of Prince Viserys in Lannisport.

Jaime glanced at the little prince and allowed himself a small smile. That had felt like so long ago.

As a result, hundreds of challengers were here.

In the sea of knights and colors Jaime identified his own sworn brother Ser Oswell who was soon to joust.

They had already been there nearly the allotted time of ten days and Jaime had a pounding headache which was making him irritable.

Of the several knights who had already ridden down the jousting stretch a few had emerged as serious contenders for the rewards. One such man was Robert Baratheon, the betrothed of one Lyanna Stark of Winterfell. He was the heir to Storm's End and was already quite enormous to behold, both in stature and in muscle.

When he was not jousting, he was sitting beside a quiet Eddard Stark who was in turn sitting next to an even quieter Jon Arryn of the Vale as they watched the tourney proceed.

Throughout the course of the tourney, a few strange things had happened which had caught Jaime's eye.

The first of which was that Lord Walter Whent's daughter was the queen of love and beauty when the tourney began and her honor was being defended by her brothers and her uncle but surprisingly enough, all had been defeated.

The second odd thing was a strange knight whose name appeared in the lists to fight for the honor of a crannogman. No one knew who he was or where he had come from but he wore the sigil of a tree caught in the throes of mirth upon his chest.

Jaime had never seen the sigil before and watched the knight with interest as did everyone else who had seen him.

What was also surprising to watch, was to see said knight defeat a knight of House Haigh, a member of House Blount and a member of House Frey.

After these victories that occurred thrice, King Aerys sent men to learn the identity of the mystery knight, but the man appeared and disappeared half way through the tourney and the knights returned unsuccessfully.

And now here on the last day of the tourney, Jaime watched knight after knight clash and one emerge the victor.

He stifled a yawn. Tourneys were fun of course when one was participating in them but when he was just watching them, all he had to do was analyze the styles and fighting patterns of each knight and lord and see what they could have done better and where they failed.

It was all rather irritating.

However on this the last day of the tourney, something happened that Jaime found was surely, not.

Prince Rhaegar had been remarkably skilled in the tourney and so far had defeated Lord Yohn Royce, Brandon Stark and Arthur Dayne. He knew now facing his final opponent, Ser Barristan Selmy.

This was a match in which it would be hard to point out any flaws and Jaime narrowed his focus as the prince and the knight thundered towards one another at great speeds, lances aimed for each other's chests or helms.

Seeing as how heavy the lance was, it was sometimes held awkwardly in the hands of knights who were still green to tourneys but for the prince and Ser Barristan, it was as if they were holding a quill or a sword that they had held many times before.

The joust had gone on far longer than any of the others and Jaime was certain the two men had ridden against each other no less than sixteen times already.

"Is my brother going to win mother?" Prince Viserys piped up enthusiastically, causing Jaime to smile tensely down at the small child.

Before Rhaella could speak up however, Aerys broke in.

"Rhaegar is a true dragon my son. Of course he will triumph."

 _And I wonder what you will do to him if he does not,_ Jaime wondered to himself.

He returned his attention to the joust and was just in time to see the prince raise his lance in a lightning fast motion as he neared Ser Barristan and before the rest of the stand knew what was happening the man commonly referred to as Barristan the Bold had been launched from his horse before landing with a crash in the dirt, unhorsed and rendering the prince the victor.

There was a moment of stunned silence before wild cheers shook the stands and even a small smile graced Elia's face as she took a moment to cheer her husband's success.

Sadly the prince and princess had remained in the capital under the watchful caring eye of Ashara Dayne, one of the princess's closest friends from Dorne. But they no doubt would have no idea what was happening anyway.

Down on the tourney grounds, the prince dismounted from his horse and helped the knight of the Kingsguard to his feet before mounting his horse once more and receiving the crown of flowers.

It was a beautiful one of frosty colored winter roses.

 _Now comes the part that all noble ladies hope for,_ Jaime thought to himself glancing down at the calm face of Elia Martell. _But only one woman is going to receive it._

Or so he thought.

The prince accepted the crown of frosty blue roses and then proceeded to look carefully about the crowd as if he were searching for someone.

 _What is he doing?_ Jaime thought to himself frowning. _He should know where his wife is, why is he searching for her?_

A moment later, the prince chose to reveal that the object of his perusal was not in fact the Dornish princess at all.

In that moment, his eyes lighted upon someone and Jaime felt his jaw slacked when the silver haired prince urged his horse forward to the stands so that it stopped in front of

Lady Lyanna Stark who was sitting beside her brother and oddly enough wearing a dress of the same color as the winter roses that the prince was holding.

 _Oh gods,_ the blonde thought in shock. _Please tell me he is not going to be so foolish as to -  
_

His thoughts were cut off before he had even finished them when his fears were confirmed and a collective gasp went up from the crowd as Prince Rhaegar Targaryen placed the crown of winter roses upon the lap of Lady Lyanna Stark of Winterfell.

In the back of his mind, Jaime could only imagine the scandal that would ensue from such an act. Not only was the prince a married man, but Lady Lyanna was also a woman who was soon to be married.

He caught a glimpse of the thunderous expression on Robert Baratheon's face after the prince bowed his head to the only Stark daughter and rode out of the tourney grounds on his horse, never once looking back.

 _Did he plan this?_ Jaime thought absently.

There was complete silence in the stands as the members of the crowd were too shocked at what had happened to even begin to whisper.

Jaime had a terrible feeling that they would begin to soon enough however. He could already see people shifting in their seats and looking towards the royal box…towards Elia Martell.

Elia…

He couldn't even bring himself to look at her for fear of what she might be feeling. The humiliation…the shame….the anger….

But force himself he did.

And what he saw surprised him.

The princess was looking straight ahead with her expression as impassive as the last time he had looked at her.

The calm look on her face caused Jaime to frown and then he wondered whether or not what had happened was something she had…suspected for lack of a better word.

He had known that the prince had had little interest in his wife over the last few years that they were married and now that Elia was nearing one and twenty, having gained almost four years of experience in the capital, being ignored by her husband seemed to be something she had become used to.

Jaime however would never become used to it.

He knew he wasn't supposed to judge the royal family, but that seemed to be all he was doing in the moment.

And the only think he was thinking was as he looked down at the stunning face of the princess was… _what a fool….what a fool….what a fool…._

It was like a random chant from the septons and septas playing over and over in his head and it wouldn't go away.

Jaime glanced down at Elia again but her posture remained the same even when the murmuring began to start. Some people got up to leave their seats but most remained.

In that moment however, the only thing that Jaime was conscious of was the fact that the royal family was completely silent, even a startled Viserys who seemed to have grasped what was going on.

To Jaime's surprise, the small boy reached out and took the princess's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

Still, Elia looked at no one.

Jaime was just about to suggest that now would be a good time to leave to the royal family when a strange sound pierced his ears.

He had heard it before, but never this close and as the sound of it reached into his ears and crawled down the canal into his head, Jaime felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up and they would not go down for a long time.

Aerys Targaryen was laughing.

He had a handkerchief pressed to his mouth and a hand pressed to his stomach as if he were trying to contain his giggles. His violet eyes were alight with glee and the look on his face caused chills to go down Jaime's spine.

The giggles seemed to make the king even more insane than he already was and caused Jaime to wonder if he was perhaps having a fit.

In order to forget about the expression he had seen, Jaime turned back to look out over the tourney grounds and swallowed hard.

 _This isn't something that is going to go away,_ he realized then. _I can't shake the terrible feeling that somehow, in some way…everything is about to change._

Ω

 **So I decided to skim over the tourney of Harrenhal, we all know what happens anyway so I didn't think there was any point in going over it again. Finally the important build up is over and we can get to the rebellion which will begin in the next chapter. Things are going to become interesting quite quickly. I hope you enjoy the chapter and don't forget to review!**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Elia

She hated them…she hated them all.

Even in the weeks that had passed since the tourney, she couldn't get away from the stares and the pitying looks. It didn't matter where they came from, noblemen, ladies, the maester, several of the King's advisors, she saw them everywhere she went in the keep.

Even worse though were the whispers.

Gods, she couldn't get away from them.

She may not have heard all of what they were saying but at the moment it didn't matter, whether or not the looks were pitying or there was glee in their eyes at seeing that the prince wasn't satisfied by her.

 _I've given him two healthy children!_ She wanted to scream at them all. _Two children that I laboured and bled to bring into this world! A princess and an heir to the throne! Is that not enough?!_

Apparently not because the whispers became worse and worse as time went on and she refused to be seen anywhere near her husband.

One of the strangest things she had heard so far was from one of the servants gossiping with another.

 _"You would think that the princess would be alright with it," the servant had said. "She is Dornish after all. Aren't they not opposed to anything sexually? A man having more than one woman there is common isn't it?"_

She had wanted to scream upon hearing that and had turned around to leave before she was seen. It was then that she had seen the thunderous look on Jaime's face as he took in the two servants who lingered, thinking themselves unseen in the hallway. His green eyes had turned dark with a fury that she didn't know he had and she had seen his hand grip the hilt of his sword in a vice like hold.

At the moment, she wanted to ask what the cause of _his_ ire was. He had been remarkably quiet since they had returned to the keep since the tourney at Harrenhal, barely even speaking.

He simply followed her wherever she went in the keep like a shadow, barely leaving her side for long and only being a few steps behind her at all times.

If Elia was surprised at his attentiveness, she didn't comment on it much. She was too lost in her own fog of what had happened to even think objectively at this point.

Her husband had shamed her.

The husband she had stood before the gods with and vowed to remain faithful to forever…had been unfaithful.

She was supposed to have been his and he was hers…is that not what they had said in the sept those years ago before her belly had begun to swell and she had become heavy with his child.

And now…now she didn't know what they were. They had hardly been a loving couple before the tourney and it was not long after the twins had been born that he had ceased coming to her bed.

It had something to do with those damnable books he had been reading for months up until she had given birth.

He had been polite to her before the wedding attentive perhaps even, but ever since she had informed him that she was carrying his child…he had been distant.

She longed to know what was in those books that he had been reading but he had always kept them carefully hidden from her.

Even before the twins were born, she could recall him muttering the strangest things in his sleep.

 _The dragon must have three heads….the dragon must have three heads…the dragon must have three heads…._

She had heard that phrase so often over the last few months that she had memorized it and now the sound of it left a bitter taste in her mouth.

Not for the first time did Elia question her decision to accept the proposal of this marriage and come to the capital to wed Rhaegar Targaryen.

It would have been beyond foolish to refuse and she could see from the gleam in her brother Doran's eyes as they had sat together in the Water Gardens what felt like a lifetime ago that this would be most beneficial for their family.

At that moment, she knew that her fate was sealed.

Even though Elia could not deny that she had wanted to be a queen, she was nervous about being so far from home and away from her only family. She had also heard rumors about the madness of the king and knowing she would live the rest of her life in his presence was enough to make her swallow hard.

But she had squared her shoulders and told herself that she was a Martell. She was unbowed, unbent and unbroken, she feared no one.

That all seemed like a lifetime ago, and now she was dealing a husband who was unfaithful, who crowned another woman his queen of love and beauty when all the realm and herself knew that such a title should have gone to her.

She just didn't understand.

Why had he done it?

If she hadn't been able to give him children, it would gall her but she might be able to understand a little better. The crown must have an heir, no matter which woman it came from. But the Targaryens had an heir. His name was Aegon and he was just over a year old now. He even looked like his father save for the darker blonde hair and not the silvery locks.

 _What have I done wrong?_ She struggled to think. _Have I done something to displease him? If I knew what it was, I might be able to fix it but now…now I don't know what I can do to fix this. I'm not even sure that I want to._

Elia knew it was cowardly for the next few weeks after the tourney, she had refused to face everyone, only keeping her head held high and her shoulders back when she went out in public with Jaime at her side.

Her best defense was her courtesy at this point. She couldn't afford to let people see how affected she was by her husband's betrayal.

Every day she would get up and go about court, smiling at people and offering courtesies as well as conversation. She would sit with the queen and Viserys in the afternoon along with Aegon and Rhaenys and they would talk for hours about everything but what had happened at Harrenhal.

Sometimes in the weeks following said tourney, Elia was almost able to convince herself that it didn't happen.

But then she would go to sleep and she would remember.

She would remember the feeling of shock and dismay when her husband, the future king of Westeros and the man that she thought she loved, crowning another woman with a title that was meant for her.

And that stuck up northern whore had been pleased and proud by what had happened, as if she hadn't been part of a scandal, as if she hadn't received attention from an already married man.

Weren't the people of the north supposed to be renowned for their honor? Were they not supposed to frown on the intrigues of the south and any sort of infidelities that were to be waged?

Was not Lyanna Stark one of the more vocal of the Starks about her desire to not be the cookie cutter image she had been made out to be by the conventions of their time?

Elia had heard her arguing loudly with one of her brothers, she couldn't remember if it was Brandon or Eddard, about her soon to be marriage to the Lord of Storm's End Robert Baratheon earlier on at the feast celebrating the tourney.

So the girl was an unfaithful little whore and a hypocrite as well then…

Normally Elia was not this spiteful but in this case she thought she had every reason to be. Her husband had crowned an engaged girl as his queen of love and beauty over her, his wife who was to be his queen and the woman he had said his vows before the gods to. She had given him two healthy beautiful children that she had laboured to bring into the world and this was how he would thank her?

After she had dismissed the servants for the night, Elia's carefully built façade would crumble and she would allow herself to weep bitter tears, thinking she should have never left Dorne and even the thought of her children sleeping in the crib across from her bed was not enough to give her the comfort that she was craving.

 _What have I done to merit this?_ She would think to herself over and over. _Have I done something to anger the gods? Is that why they are punishing me this way?_

She longed to write to her brothers, but each time she took up a quill to do so, something would prompt her to lower it.

As much as Elia loved her older brothers, Oberyn was a hot head who was often ruled by his emotions and didn't think about his actions before he committed them.

It was a temperament that was going to get him in trouble one day. And she knew if she were to write to Oberyn and tell him what had happened, he would ride forth to the capital in a rage and get himself in a terrible predicament that even she as the future queen would not be able to get him out of.

Aerys would hear no word spoken against his son which was what made the situation even more maddening.

The king had begun to mock her ever since the prince had chosen to give the crown to another woman. He had been making little insinuations that she was not good enough for his son despite the fact that she had born him two healthy children.

Elia had done her best to ignore it but at the same time, even his high pitched words were grating on the legendary patience both she and her brother Doran had.

A pity that Oberyn hadn't received it.

There were times when her legendary patience would break and she would clench her fists in his presence, thinking of all the ways Oberyn would kill him if he were there.

Because Dorne was far more liberal than the rest of the Seven Kingdoms, Elia had been allowed to pick up a sword and use it when she was small. She was by no means good however and had soon left the dance of steal to her older brothers. As much as she might have wished she could be like the warrior queen Nymeria, Elia knew she never would be.

And that realization hurt more than she thought.

She had wanted to be just like her ancestor, marrying and ruling alongside her husband a united country that they had helped forge together.

Her wish for that same dream was now all the more poignant. The only way she could get herself to calm down however was to be away from the king as much as possible so she would come up with whatever excuse to spend time with the queen or in her chambers.

Something that was a slight comfort to the princess was the fact that the queen was just as enraged by her son's behaviour as Elia was. She didn't talk about it, but every single time the prince's name was mentioned by someone else around them, her eyes would narrow and her nostrils would flare. She would change the subject soon after and the princess would take comfort in the facial cues.

Speaking of the prince in question, Elia had not seen him very much since the tourney and that was one thing she was grateful for. She didn't know what she would say much less feel if she saw him now. It was better that he was gone, buried in the library or off somewhere in King's Landing, she didn't much care. He had been sharing her bed less and less since she had told him that she was pregnant and she could count the number of times on two hands that he had done so since Rhaenys and Aegon were born.

Elia was never more conscious of the fact that she had been used as a baby breeder rather than a woman as she was in the moment.

She knew in the back of her mind that the members of great houses married to pass on their lines and finding love in a marriage was a luxury. But was she really such a fool for thinking that she could find that with Rhaegar? Was it so wrong to want love?

Perhaps she had been naïve when she had come here hoping that she would achieve some sort of fairy tale. Perhaps she had been gullible when she married into the Targaryen family and starry eyed about the concept of being a queen.

Right now she wanted nothing more than to be anywhere but the Red Keep. The pity and judgement in the eyes of the ladies and nobles was almost more than Elia could bear and the only defence she had against it was her courtesy.

But the absolute worst part of the entire debacle were the whispered comments that _she_ was somehow to blame. As if she had done something differently, the prince would not have chosen to crown another woman, he would not have cast his eyes elsewhere…that it was somehow her fault.

That line of hogwash made Elia want to pull her hair out and scream.

 _I've done nothing wrong!_ She wanted to rage at them all when she saw the looks in their eyes. _Do you think I had a choice in this?! My unfaithful selfish foolish husband decided to take the crown and give it to someone else even after I have given him two healthy children from my own body that I laboured and bled to bring into the world! I had_ _no choice over whether or not I would come to this thrice damned city so how do I have a choice over what my husband does?!_

But she didn't say anything like that…nothing like that at all. Because if there was one thing that Elia Martell was conscious of, it was her duty. It had been her duty to provide her husband with children and she had, she had given him two in fact.

And how had he thanked her for that?

But now she was going around and around in circles in her thoughts and feeling more trapped in those wretched halls than ever before.

And the only two people who seemed conscious of the inner roiling turmoil in her heart were the queen and Ser Jaime.

The knight had never asked her how she was feeling, seeming to prefer the silence over meaningless words and Elia was grateful for it. For once in her life, she just wanted silence over pathetic gossip and words of pity. Jaime was one of the few people who seemed to understand that. He stuck closer to her than usual which was the only thing she needed.

Both Rhaenys and Aegon seemed to take no notice of her sour mood and quiet countenance which Elia counted as a blessing for she had no desire for her children to know the turmoil of the keep they would grow up in before they had to.

Another blessing was the presence of Ashara Dayne, though she would be leaving the keep in a few weeks as her family had recalled her to Starfall.

Elia was sad for it as Ashara had been her closest friend when she had still lived in Dorne and someone she could rant and rave to who would be completely on her side no matter the circumstances.

But where Elia was quiet and calm, Ashara was vocal and fiery and that was something that could be dangerous in the Red Keep.

It helped that her brother was a member of the Kingsguard, but she would need to be careful all the same.

But there was no calming the Dayne girl now.

Ashara had been in a rage since Elia had returned from the tourney along with all the gossip surrounding her about what the prince had done.

"That callous pathetic wretch!" she hissed through her teeth as she and Elia walked through the gardens one quiet sunny afternoon. "Has the mixing of the blood over the centuries addles his brains?!"

"Would you kindly lower your voice?" Elia asked casting a wary eye around. "There are eyes and ears everywhere in this place."

"What I want to know is how you are so calm?" Ashara demanded. "We are Dornish, you are Unbent and this is how you are going to take his actions towards you?"

Elia's nails dug into Ashara's skin so hard she was surprised when she didn't draw blood and caused the other girl to wince. "Let me remind you of where we are Ashara. I am a lone sun in a sea of dragons. I have no more say over what my husband does than you do and to think that I do is incredibly naïve and foolish. Unlike my husband, I am treading on dangerous ground here and if I put one toe out of line, my fate will be no better than those poor souls that the king finds such joy in burning alive."

Out of the corner of her eye, Elia thought she saw Jaime stiffen slightly behind them, but she dismissed it a moment later.

Ashara gave her a sharp look. "Surely it is not that bad here?"

"Your brother has been whispering honeyed words into your ears Ash," Elia said bleakly. "It is lucky that you are to return to Starfall soon and will not see the fall out of my husband's decision. I had a horrible feeling when I was carrying Rhaenys and Aegon that Rhaegar did not love me…but it was confirmed at the tourney. Now I fear I will only be a shadow of a queen…perhaps a shadow of a woman too."

Seeing her carefully built wall beginning to crumble, Ashara immediately put her arm around her friend. "Hush now, it's going to be alright."

"Will it?" Elia asked. "Because from where I stand, my husband acted as if I did not exist before the tourney, he ignored his children and spent all his time wrapped up in his books and in the training grounds training for some unknown force that he claimed was coming. And now he has chosen to crown an engaged woman his queen of love and beauty in an extremely public manner throwing the entire social world of the ruling elites into chaos since it happened. So I ask you Ashara…how are things going to become better?"

For once her friend didn't have an answer.

And neither did Elia for that matter.

Because there wasn't one.

Ω

As the months dragged on and the cloud of silence continued to descend upon the keep throwing the nobles outside of the city into confusion about the social nature of what had happened at the tourney, Elia continued to maintain her own silence even more vigorously now that Ashara was gone.

It didn't help however that Rhaegar had begun spending longer and longer periods of time outside of the city, prompting Elia to think that he had something even worse planned than what he had executed at the tourney several months earlier.

And of course this prompted her to worry even more and spend more time trying not to think of all the things that could have gone wrong.

One particular evening as the sun was going down and she was contemplating the idea of getting the twins to bed and the gardens were empty, Elia began to feel her carefully built façade begin to collapse.

She took a deep shuddering breath and brushed a hand across her eyes, dismayed to feel tears forming on her lashes.

 _Keep it together you fool!_ She wanted to scream at herself.

It was useless at this point however.

All she could do at this point was sit there as the tears began to pour down her cheeks and keep her breath as even as possible and her shoulders from shaking so the only other person nearby which was Jaime wouldn't say.

Even though she would say she knew him quite well at this point, Elia was not comfortable with letting the blonde see her cry.

She had always been a very private person even in Dorne and out of her two brothers she would say that Doran knew her the best. Oberyn was the hothead and though he loved her fiercely Elia could say with confidence that he would never know her as well as Doran did.

Unfortunately, her deep even breaths and quiet sniffles that she was trying desperately to suppress were in fact noticed.

"Your grace? Are you alright?"

Elia bit back a curse and cleared her throat slightly. "Yes Jaime, I'm fine."

She wanted to curse further when the knight moved into her line of vision and she glared at the ground and her son, watching both blur with increased vigor.

"Begging your pardon your grace," the blonde said somewhat quietly, her eyes on her face. "But you don't seem alright."

Elia gave a choked laugh that she was certain was filled with the bitterness she felt. "An ironic statement Ser. It would seem that there are many things that are not as they seem."

There was a long silence and then a hand came out of nowhere and touched the underside of her chin gently.

Elia looked up in surprise to find Jaime standing in front of her where she was sitting on her usual bench in the gardens, his hand somewhat outstretched and was shocked further when he used it to tilt her chin up so he could look into her watery eyes.

He didn't say anything for a long time, but neither did he remove his hand and the two seemed to be locked in position just looking at each other.

Elia knew it wasn't proper and etiquette would dictate that she should pull away right in that moment but somehow she couldn't and she didn't want to either.

It was foolish, unbelievably so, anyone might have come along and seen them in that moment and the consequences would be severe for both of them…but it also didn't seem to matter.

Jaime's green eyes bored into hers with a sudden intensity that made her skin itch. They appeared dark in the dying light and as distinct as she had ever seen them.

The quiet lengthened into a thunderous silence that they both knew they had to end but both seemed unwilling to let it.

And then finally Jaime spoke.

It wasn't much…but it was enough.

"He is a fool," he whispered so low that Elia could barely hear him but the impact of the words were felt all the same. "He is a fool."

And a little of her sadness dissipated.

Ω

She had always been told by her mother as long as she could remember that actions had consequences.

Even before the princess of Dorne had passed from this world, Elia knew that everything she did had a reaction.

But no one had impressed upon her that the actions of everyone else around her had consequences.

If they had, she would have chosen her friends and relationships far more carefully.

But now it was too late.

And here she was standing in the chambers she had shared with Rhaegar that he had vacated months ago for gods knew where, staring out the window watching a small party of horsemen assemble in the courtyard.

She never thought he would be this foolish.

The last few months had been a blur of terrible news delivered one right after the other and Elia had felt as if she were living in a dream.

Lyanna Stark had gone missing….her brother Brandon had come to the keep demanding the return of his sister and the head of the prince….he was promptly imprisoned and a letter sent to his father demanding his presence at King's Landing to ransom his son…Lord Rickard Stark had arrived in the keep and demanded a trial by combat….he was granted one and Aerys had chosen fire as his champion…Brandon Stark had a cord tied around his throat and strangled himself trying to reach the sword that would cut him free and save himself and his father…

And just like that, her good father had murdered a lord paramount and his heir causing the north to rise up in rebellion along with the east and the Stormlands as it was Robert Baratheon's betrothed that had disappeared.

Civil war was tearing the realm apart and now her husband was about to ride off to war…perhaps he would never come back.

And she didn't want him to.

The sound of a door opening caught her attention and she turned, unsurprised to see the silvery blonde head of her husband step into the room.

"You're leaving," she said but it wasn't a question.

"I am," he said. "But I will return."

Elia just stared at him. "You truly think you will won don't you? The north will not stop until they have your head for murdering their lord and his son. The heir to Storm's End will not stop until he has his betrothed back and the east will not stop backing both of these factions as the old eagle claims both Eddard Stark and Robert Baratheon as his wards. You are not going to win…you are going to die."

His expression did not change. "Perhaps…perhaps not. But it doesn't matter. I have achieved what I set out to do."

A red mist descended over her eyes at this point and it was an unholy rage that Elia would later blame what she did next on.

Her hand shot out and seized the ornamented vase on the table next to the window and with all of her strength, she hurled it at him.

He had good reflexes so it missed him, but only just and as the vase shattered against the shut door, the prince stared back at her his violet eyes wide.

Elia's fists were clenched, her golden brown eyes blazing and her breath was coming in deep gasps almost.

"What. You. Set. Out. To. Do?!" she ground out through her teeth. "And what was that husband? Begin a civil war by kidnapping another man's betrothed? Or perhaps crowning that same betrothed at a tourney months ago very publicly at tourney of which all the nobles of Westeros were present? Or perhaps it was when you were not here to watch the king burn a lord paramount and his son in a horrible fashion? What was it that you set to do exactly but burn the realm to the ground?!"

"You are angry," he said calmly and she had no idea how he was managing to because if it hadn't meant her death, she would have flow across the room and scratched his eyes out. "But soon you'll understand why I had to do it. It is only through me that the son of ice and fire can be sung."

Elia thought she would go mad. "This was about a _prophecy?_ What could be so important that you would risk everything, your life your kingdom you family and the realm for?"

"Soon Elia," he said quietly. "Soon you will understand. We have two heads of the dragon…we need one more. You may not think I will return…but I will."

He turned around and left out the door before shutting it behind him and it wasn't until long after that Elia unclenched her fists looking down at the bloody marks her nails had left in her palms.

"No," she whispered between clenched teeth. "I don't think you will. And when you die in this war that you have created…I hope you burn in the Seven Hells."

Ω

 **A short chapter, but I didn't want to spend too much time talking about the deaths of Brandon and Rickard Stark, we know all about that already so there's no need to go over it. We'll see a little bit more of it from Jaime's perspective in the next chapter and then the story will really get going. Don't forget to review everyone!**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Jaime

It was hard to remember the last time he had been in such a rage.

Well…perhaps that wasn't entirely accurate. There had been many times over the last few years since he had joined the Kingsguard that he had been in a rage.

He had been angry when his sister had manipulated him into joining the Kingsguard, he was angry when the truth that he had become trapped in a life that he didn't want had descended upon him, he was angry as he watched Prince Rhaegar neglect Elia, he was angry when Rhaenys had called him her father and he had known it was not the truth, he was angry when that same prince had publicly shamed his wife and made himself and her the subjects of lewd court gossip and the object of scorn by the mad king…and he was angry when Rickard and Brandon Stark had died and he hadn't had the courage to do anything about it and had simply stood there like a coward with the rest of the court as they had all looked on in horror.

But now…now he was downright apoplectic.

In truth the anger on behalf of Elia had been building since the tourney at Harrenhal in which the prince had publicly shamed Elia for another woman…he just hadn't know it yet.

But now that it was well and truly done and the prince had run off with another woman, war being the result, he didn't think he had ever been so livid before.

How…How was it possible for someone to possess that degree of carelessness, recklessness and irresponsibility all wrapped into one dysfunctional package?

He just didn't understand it and he didn't think that he ever would. What had it all been for? Really?

The realm was being torn apart the cost of one man's dissatisfaction with his wife. Jaime didn't even want to imagine his father's reaction.

Tywin Lannister would no doubt be assessing the situation from the stronghold of Casterly Rock and wondering which side it would be best to back. Jaime had a feeling his father wouldn't move to join the war until it was determined which side was going to win.

Because that was just the sort of cold hearted bastard that he was.

At the moment Jaime was once again standing in the gardens watching over Elia and her children. At the moment he was the only member of the Kingsguard still left in the keep as the rest had gone with Rhaegar to fight this gods be damned war.

This had all begun because of a woman….

Jaime glanced over at Elia who was doing her best to keep the prince and princess entertained and not crawling away from her. The smile on her face as she handed Rhaenys a toy seemed real…but Jaime knew it was all an act.

He had seen silver tears slide down her golden cheeks more than once and that was the one thing that angered him more than anything else.

He didn't even know how it had happened but sometime in the last few years of his being in the capital, Elia had come to be his anchor. She had been his distraction from his own dark thoughts and moods and when her children had come along, they had brought a strange light back into his life.

When Rhaenys smiled and laughed at him, he somehow forgot to be angry or brooding.

When Aegon would get a wondering look on his face as he looked at anything around him, Jaime would find himself smiling without knowing why.

The twin's curiosity about the world was infectious and he didn't know when he had come to care for them beyond the two of them being his charges, but it had happened all the same and he had been powerless to stop it.

He knew he shouldn't…that he was merely doing his duty to the royal family and fulfilling his vows but at the same time, one could not spend hours and days and weeks and months and years with someone and not develop a bond with them, a connection that stood the test of time.

It didn't matter that they weren't bound by blood to him…they were hers and for him that was enough.

But apparently it hadn't been enough for the dragon who had galloped away from his wife and twin children in the keep several months earlier causing the princess to become very quiet. Her eyes would turn black when Rhaegar's name was mentioned and she did her best to stay as far away from Aerys as she could.

Jaime did his best too but that didn't stop the king from seeking his good daughter out whenever it fancied him.

He would sit with her and watch Aegon and Rhaenys play with his small greedy violet eyes and Jaime would watch Elia's stiff shoulders, rigid posture and tight mouth as she beheld the dragon's eyes on her children.

He himself would stiffen when Aerys would whisper terrible words to Elia, words that claimed it was her fault that Rhaegar had gone and that the only reason he had chosen her for his son was that it was as close as he could get to a drop of Valyrian blood.

Elia could stiffen and her eyes would blaze with golden fire but she would say nothing as one wrong word and Aerys would have her head.

But _he_ would never take it.

Jaime had realized almost from the moment he had put on the white cloak that would forever signal him a slave to the mad dragon that the king was a mad man and the only reason that he kept Elia and Rhaenys and Aegon around was to ensure the cooperation of Dorne. He had to keep the children as they were his legacy and he needed them, but Elia…Elia was expendable.

The knight had heard countless times of when he had mocked the princess, calling her weak and saying that if only she hadn't been so useless than perhaps Rhaegar wouldn't have left her for another woman.

It boiled Jaime's blood to hear the words being said and it had made a red mist descend over his eyes when he saw the pain on the Dornish princess's face and he had been the one to wipe the tears from her eyes.

That should have been the task of her husband. Rhaegar should have been the one that was here to comfort his wife from his father's cruel attacks and insane paranoia.

And yet he was off in gods knew where with the woman he had stolen for whatever reason.

Jaime had a feeling that Elia knew the reason Rhaegar had run off with Lyanna Stark but he had decided not to press for answers as it was none of his business and he had no desire to cause her any more pain.

The dragon prince had already put her through enough.

In a way Jaime was glad he was gone, at least his absence would be less of a reason for Princess Elia to grieve and more of a reason for her to accept the situation and move on from it.

After all, if the prince survived the war and returned with Lyanna Stark as his bride it would mean that Elia would become one of two wives and any other children that the Stark girl had would be princes and princesses as well.

But even if the wolf girl had sons, Aegon was still the heir to the throne.

The more Jaime thought of that however, the more he began to wonder if having many children was something that Rhaegar cared about at all.

He too knew that the silver prince had been spending more and more time with his books throughout the last three years of his marriage to Elia and it had to do with something he called "the prince that was promised."

Whatever the bloody hell that meant.

Jaime had long since decided he wasn't going to waste his time thinking about it. There were more important things to focus on after all.

As it stood, the war was going badly for the royals. Among their loyal supporters they counted the Tyrells and the Martells, the latter of which was only supporting the dragons because Aerys still held their princess and prince among Rhaegar's guards.

And Lewyn Martell wasn't even in the capital.

He had ridden off with Rhaegar to go put down the rebellion as waged by Robert Baratheon, Ned Stark and Jon Arryn. But Jaime could see his reluctance to go and that of Ser Arthur surprisingly as well.

The blond knew for a fact that Prince Lewyn would never approve of what his prince had done and it had taken all of his restraint and a reminder of his oaths by the Lord Commander Hightower to not say what he was really thinking.

As it was, Jaime had seen the Martell prince sending heated glares towards the heir to the throne many times since he had awarded the Stark girl the flower crown at Harrenhal.

But it was his last words to Jaime before he had ridden off with prince Rhaegar that would the blonde would remember forever.

 _"You look after her Lannister do you hear me?" the dark haired man had hissed as he gripped Jaime's upper arms so tight that he could feel the pressure beneath his armor. "_ _You take care of the princess and her children or when I return I will hunt you to the ends of the earth and beyond."_

 _Jaime had winced and made a mental note to never cross a Dornishman when he was serious. They were the most laid back and relaxed people that he knew so when one of them was serious, it was a life threatening issue.  
_

 _"You don' think the prince will achieve victory?" he asked when Lewyn released him, resisting the urge to rub at his upper arms.  
_

 _Lewyn laughed, but it was a sound that made the hairs on the back of Jaime's neck stand on end. "The prince is a fool. If he thinks that the royal army can hold back the coming onslaught of Baratheon, Stark Arryn and Tully he is more insane than his mad father."  
_

 _Jaime blinked. He knew that of all members of the Kingsguard, Lewyn had the most reason to dislike the king for how he treated his niece but he had never heard the man speak a word against him.  
_

 _To do so now only revealed the depth of his loathing for Aerys.  
_

 _Lewyn's eyes narrowed as he looked at him again. "But it matters not what I think. What counts is what is about to happen. The realm is about to bleed and the Targaryens have caused it. Whether that will be our blood or that of the rebels is another thing."  
_

 _He paused for a moment as if he were deep in thought and looked back at the keep where he and Jaime stood watching as the other men of the Kingsguard hurried about.  
_

 _Prince Rhaegar was nowhere to be seen.  
_

 _The two knights looked back at each other and the blonde had almost wanted to shy away from the grim intent he saw in Lewyn's eyes.  
_

 _"Remember what I said Lannister. You protect my niece and my great niece and nephew. If something has happened to them upon my return…and I_ will _return. I will find…and you will not like what I do then."_

Jaime winced and rubbed the back of his neck as he stood watching Elia with her children on the terrace gardens. He had wanted to tell Lewyn that he didn't have to worry for the princesses and the prince. He had wanted to tell the man that he would guard them with his life and it didn't matter how many men he had to face to do it. He even wanted to tell the prince that if it came right down to it, he would sacrifice himself for the children and the woman he had come to care for.

But the words had stuck in his throat and they wouldn't come from his tight tongue that wouldn't loosen.

And he didn't know why.

Perhaps it was because he didn't want Lewyn to think less of him for having fallen in love with his niece, or that he didn't want him to mock him for it.

But deep down, Jaime knew it was because of Elia that he said nothing. She was dealing with the loss of her husband's love and having to be a parent raising her children alone. He didn't want word to get back to her and be utterly humiliated when she didn't return his feelings.

Because Jaime knew she didn't.

She had had the silver prince, the young dragon in her bed, the highest standard of men in Westeros, to stay anywhere but the top would be ludicrous for him.

Especially seeing as how she wore a crown and would be a queen upon her husband's return from battling the rebels.

If he returned that was.

If.

That all too elusive word that had the power to topple empires, decimate armies and end the lives of men.

Jaime hated that word.

He had been living in the shadow of _if_ for the last three years since he had been appointed to the gods be damned Kingsguard.

And now that word was going to take on an entirely new meaning as the realm bled and men died for one self-absorbed prince who hadn't been able to keep his hands off another man's betrothed.

Damn it all.

Apart from thinking privately that the man was a fool, Jaime simply couldn't understand why Rhaegar had chosen let alone looked at another woman.

Deep in the recesses of his mind he believed there would never be another woman more beautiful than Elia Martell.

He didn't know how she would compare to Cersei but since he had not seen his sister in almost three years, some of the details of her face were fading somewhat.  
Elia, with her beautiful eyes more endowed body and sweet smile and wise words were something that he saw everything, something that he was coming to cherish, to care for.

It was worse than he thought.

The manner of self-loathing and mockery that had been inwardly directed were unprecedented when he realized the manner of his feelings for the Dornish princess.

Jaime knew he would never tell her and he still wasn't convinced that it was love or anything beyond a sort of attraction.

He often wondered to himself in the dead of night whether it was in fact love and if it was, would be ever love Elia as much as Cersei?

It didn't matter either way however. Despite his feelings the princess was still a married woman and it would be the height of dishonor if he were to pursue whatever gods damned feelings he had even if the prince was away.

It was less than honorable but Jaime almost wished Rhaegar wouldn't return. He had an heir was it was. Aegon was the heir to the Iron Throne and so there was no more need for the silver prince.

He was also glad for the departure of Jon Connington.

Ever since the man had taken the place of his father, the blonde had developed a healthy dislike for him.

Though Connington had never spoken a word to Jaime himself, it was the looks of thinly hidden dislike that the new Hand gave Elia that Jaime _did_ notice.

He had noted the look in his eyes whenever Connington looked at the crown prince, noticed the softening the slight curve of his mouth as he tried to suppress a smile also the frown that would color his face when he saw Elia and Rhaegar speaking.

The man thought himself subtle and in truth he possessed all the subtlety of a brick.

Jaime supposed he shouldn't have been surprised. Rhaegar possessed the stunning looks of all the Targaryens. He had had women falling over themselves for him before Elia Martell was chosen as his wife and it wasn't surprising that men occupied the spectrum of adoring idiots as well.

Seven hells, he was just glad that both of them were gone.

Now he just had to deal with a broken hearted princess, a mad king and a queen that seemed to harden with each passing day.

He was the only knight of the Kingsguard left behind because Rhaegar had insisted that he was all the defense that Elia would need should the worst happen.

 _I suppose I should be honored at his trust in me,_ the blonde thought cynically to himself as he stood in the gardens and watched the royal prince and princess play. _But it seems that the worst has already happened._

Ω

It had failed.

The royal army had failed at the Trident and Rhaegar Targaryen was dead.

The news had not been long in coming to the capital and Aerys had seen that the man who had delivered it was burned alive the moment the words left his tongue.

Jaime had hurried out afterwards, certain he would be sick in the bushes after what he had just seen.

He was just thankful that Elia had not been there to hear the news as the mad king might turn his irrational rage on her. Jaime had listened to the man belittle and degrade her as the war went on, mock her for being weak and stupid, saying it was her fault that his son had run off.

If the man found out his son was dead and she was anywhere around, the blonde feared what he might do to the woman who was now Rhaegar's widow.

Immediately, the king had sent away his son Viserys and the queen Rhaella who was now heavy with child to Dragonstone where they would be safe should the worst happen and the capital fell.

He hadn't done the same thing for Elia and her children however even though Aegon was the heir to the throne. Why he had not taken such precautions concerning them was something that was a mystery to Jaime.

The long and short of it was that Aerys was keeping Elia, Aegon and Rhaenys hostages in order to ensure the loyalty of Dorne. If he sent them away, Dorne would know that their princesses and prince were safe and would have no reason to support him, given how his son had dishonored her.

Jaime winced and rubbed a hand across the jaw that was now rough with stubble. He needed to do something about that soon as finding time to rid himself of the facial hair that had accumulated beneath his notice was difficult, especially given the nature of the last few months.

It still shocked him, the prince was dead and somehow the war had changed in favor of the rebels.

In truth maybe he shouldn't have been surprised. The rebels were fighting for a genuine reason and Aerys well, Aerys was fighting to keep his crown. Perhaps the war was being one by sheer passion and adrenaline.

And now he was standing in the throne room watching the king pace back and forth atop the dais before his throne, hands behind his back and his violet eyes darting erratically from side to side.

Jaime wished he knew what the man was thinking but at the same time didn't want to know. To peer into the depths of Aerys mind was surely to invite madness.

But for some reason the king had asked him to be present in the throne room this day and though wary Jaime hadn't questioned it.

After promising the princess who was currently in the gardens with her children that he would return momentarily, the blonde had strode to the throne room, determined to get this over with as quickly as possible.

But it seemed the king had other ideas.

When Jaime had entered the throne room, he had seen a man leaving and recognized him to be a servant. The man was breathing hard and running for his life and he appeared to be a hunted animal for the way his eyes darted around.

Jaime had watched him run down the hall and disappear around a corner, feeling his own dread mounting before he stepped into the throne room.

Over the last few weeks he had felt a change in the air…something in the realm was changing and Jaime had a sick feeling that it was because the Targaryens were losing the war. With the crown prince dead, there wasn't much hope for the Targaryens to remain on the throne. With Robert Baratheon victorious at the Trident and the crown prince dead, the royal army crushed, the reign of the dragons was coming to an end.

And all for one woman.

The moment Jaime had stepped into the throne room and taken his place beside the king where he had been required to stand since the rest of his sworn brothers left the capital for gods knew where, a sick feeling entered the pit of his stomach and he swallowed hard.

Aerys paused for a moment in his pacing to look at Jaime with his manic bright eyes, causing the young man to want to cringe.

Finally he paused. "Well now…you didn't tell me Ser Jaime."

He sounded oddly lucid but the blonde wondered whether or not this was a ploy to lure him into some sort of trap.

When he answered, he answered carefully. "Tell you what your grace?"

The king looked at him for a long moment and then a cruel smile crossed his face. "He did not send word? It would be just like my old friend Tywin Lannister to do such a thing."

His father? This was insane.

"What does my father have to do with anything your grace?"

Aerys began to chuckle, a sound that made the hairs on the back of Jaime's neck stand on end. "He waits until the war is all but spent and then comes to be now under a flag of parlay."

It took a second for Jaime's brain to process what Aerys had said before he blinked stupidly. "Pardon your grace?"

"Don't play the fool with me Lannister!" the king snapped. "Why has he waited now to come to me, my old friend? Even now he and his army are sitting at the city gates under a flag of parlay, waiting for it to be opened."

"If I may your grace."

At the sound of the unexpected yet familiar voice, Jaime whirled around and took in the shuffling form of grand maester Pycelle, standing no more than a few feet from the steps of the dais.

 _When the bloody hell did he get here? What is this simpering fool going to say?_

"What is it Pycelle?" the king barked. "Speak you doddering fool!"

 _Finally something we can agree on your grace._

"It would perhaps be in the best interest of House Targaryen to allow the Lannisters entrance your grace," Pycelle went on. "They have proven loyal servants to the crown in the past, they can be trusted again."

The sick feeling once more entered Jaime stomach and wouldn't go away. Pycelle's words seemed calm and rational and yet he couldn't help but think that something terrible was about to happen.

"Perhaps," the king muttered under his breath. "Perhaps my old friend has decided to show his loyalty once more since he ran off like a snivelling rat to Casterly Rock and abandoned his duties."

Jaime opened his mouth, unsure of what he was going to say but feeling the need to say something…anything.

Unfortunately to his shame and embarrassment, no words came out and he was left to open and close his lips for a moment like some sort of simple fish.

Somehow when he had managed to get his wits about him, the king had agreed with Pycelle and sent word for the man to order that the gates of the city be opened.

"Your grace, is this a wise decision?" Jaime asked somewhat hesitantly.

The king turned his horrible purple eyes on him which had grown wide with manic rage. "Are you questioning me Lannister?"

"No your grace I – "

"Good! Then leave me this instant. I have no further need of you at this time."

"But – "

"Out!"

And Jaime went, cursing the old man with every step that he took and cursing himself at the same time for not being able to get out complete sentences.

He didn't know why but somehow he had an uneasy feeling about his father's presence. He couldn't explain it and yet it was some sort of lurking premonition in the back of his mind that his father wasn't there to help.

He didn't want to believe it, why else would Tywin Lannister be there after all? And yet the sick feeling in the pit of his stomach continued.

Pushing it to one side, Jaime returned to the gardens, where he sighed with relief upon seeing the princess and her children in their familiar spot.

Elia seemed to be frowning slightly, her exquisite face seemed to be marred by worry but at the sound of his footsteps, she looked up.

The blonde was somewhat surprised to see a look of relief on her face when she caught sight of him. And then she frowned again…his own expression must have been telling.

"Is everything alright Jaime?" she asked.

"Yes your grace," he replied. "Why wouldn't it be?"

"The king has asked to see you," she went on as if his reason for withholding a smile was obvious. "Many who have gone to see him bear the same look leaving as you do now."

Jaime barely suppressed a grimace and rubbed the side of his face, trying to come up with an answer for her.

The only one that came to him was the truth however.

And so with the words burning like an acid on his tongue, he spoke it to her.

"My father and his army have appeared at the gates of the city."

Her frown deepened. "But surely that is a good thing. Your father was a loyal servant of the king, the Lannister army will help protect us from the rebels who are no doubt nearing the city."

How to explain to her and there was this sick feeling in the pit of his stomach with his father's presence and how Jaime had a terrible notion that his father was not here to help.

But he didn't say all of this. "Perhaps."

She went on as if she hadn't heard him. "Perhaps now the war will turn in our favor. My husband may be dead but the crown still has an heir. The Targaryen line will endure."

The more she spoke, the more Jaime felt the urge to void his guts in the bushes. He swallowed the bile that was rising in his throat hard and coughed several times to clear it. He didn't know why the presence of his father's army outside of the city filled him with dread but the feeling refused to go away and in fact became even more acute as time went on.

Eventually Elia stopped talking about the benefits of having the Lannister army at their gates and Jaime lapsed into a worried silence. His nerves felt taut and he flinched at every small sound, every snap of a twig and even every sound that the prince and princess made.

The tense and heavy silence continued for nearly a quarter hour before the atmosphere suddenly changed.

In that moment, the sound of footsteps could be heard racing down the garden path and Jaime whirled around to see a servant racing toward him as if his life depended on it.

With apprehension roiling in his stomach like sour milk, Jaime turned to the servant.

"You!" he barked in a grim voice. "What seems to be the trouble?"

The servant skidded to a halt a few feet away from him breathing hard and gave a quick respectful bow to Elia who had stopped looking at her children and was looking at the servant in alarm.

"Begging your pardon Ser Jaime," the servant managed to gasp out. "But the king has requested your presence in the throne room immediately."

The sick feeling in Jaime's stomach increased until it took a visible effort to calm himself.

"Very well," he said as calmly as he could before letting the servant run off and turning back to Elia.

"Jaime what is happening?" she asked, her brow furrowed in concern.

"I am certain nothing is the matter princess," he said nearly through his teeth. "Come I will see you to your chambers and then I will attend his majesty."

Elia studied his face for a long time and opened her mouth once before it seemed that she understood him. She snapped her jaw shut and then nodded before taking up

Rhaenys in her arms and reaching for Aegon. The twins had just passed their third name day and so were walking and talking in their babyish English which sometimes caused their mother to want to pull her hair out.

In order to assist her, Jaime reached down and swept Aegon into his arms without a second thought.

"Come," he said. "We must hurry. It is not wise to keep his majesty waiting."

"Jaime," Elia said softly but in urgent tones as they hurried into the keep and up a flight of stairs to her chambers. "Is everything alright? You look pale."

"I don't know your grace," he replied hurriedly but would say no more.

All the way they hurried down the halls, Jaime's thoughts were whirling with what the king could possibly wish to tell him. Had his deepest fears been realized and his father was not here to help as the king seemed convinced he would do?

At that moment the knight and the princess passed a window and Jaime caught a glimpse of the city.

His blood chilled when he saw smoke rising into the sunny sky from some of the buildings.

Elia saw it too.

Her face turned an ashy grey and she turned to him her eyes wide. Jaime didn't do anything except to take her arm and urge her along. "Quickly now."

Mercifully they reached Elia's chambers in the next few moments and Jaime rushed her and the children inside.

"Bolt the door," he all but snapped at her, "and don't open it for anyone but me."

She nodded somewhat shakily and he waited outside until he heard the bolt sliding into place before he left.

All but running now, Jaime took the stairs in merely a few leaps before he was racing along the main floor to the throne room.

He paused outside another window and saw that the smoke in the air, rising from the city had increased in scope and volume. There was an acrid smell in the air and he swallowed hard as he turned and continued his run down the hall, skidding to a stop outside the throne room.

He had about two seconds to gather his scattered wits before he stepped into the horrible thunderous silence to look at the king who was sitting on the throne. Striding forward and bowing low before the throne, Jaime kept his eyes lowered. "You wanted to see me your grace?"

The king looked him over and the silence lingered for so long that a cold sweat broke out on the back of Jaime's neck which he had to resist the urge to swipe at.

"It seems your father is as treacherous as he always was," Aerys said somewhat softly and Jaime's head snapped up to face him. "I beg your pardon your grace?"

Aerys went on as if he hadn't heard him. "Even now your traitorous dog of a father is sacking the city, turning on the king and family he once swore to serve."

Jaime felt ice in his blood as his worst fears were confirmed and he had to clench and unclench his hands to make sure there was still feeling there.

"They will be here before long," Aerys said in a deadly quiet voice and Jaime swallowed hard. "It seems the reign of the Targaryens is about to come to an end."

He turned to Jaime then who was still standing there staring at him stupidly. "But perhaps not yet."

"Your grace?"

Aerys eyes lit with a terrible fire. "Now is your chance to prove your mettle Lannister…to prove that you are loyal to the crown and no other."

"How?" It was the only word that came to mind in that moment.

Aerys got up from his throne and took a few steps down the dais until he was standing before Jaime.

"Take your sword," he whispered "and bring me his head."

Jaime felt cold in that moment he had to swallow several times before he trusted himself to speak. "What?"

"You heard me," the King said before turning to someone that Jaime had not yet noticed. "Lord Rossart!"

Jaime flinched and whirled around to find the new hand of the king stepping from the shadows into the light of the torches. "Yes your grace?"

"Send word to the guild," the king said softly. "It is time. Let Baratheon be king of the ashes."

The new hand bowed and quickly left the room while Jaime was left to try and process what was happening.

King Aerys fascination with wild fire was nothing new and there had been many times when Jaime had seen members of the alchemists guild leaving by side doors in the keep and his dread at the stability of the king only increased.

It was only then that he realized what the king intended to do.

And he realized if Rossart left and passed the word to the pyromancers that the city would be nothing more than a smoking ruin and everyone would die.

Including Elia and the children.

He was running from the room before he even realized what was happening with Aerys manic laughter following him.

His mind was now solely focused on one thing: stopping Rossart before he left the keep.

He found the man just as he stepped through the doors and into the gardens. Jaime's sword was in his hand before he even realized he had reached for it.

"Rossart!" he roared and the man whirled around at the noise. In the next instant, the blonde's sword was buried in his chest up to the hilt.

"This is so that you may never again obey an insane command from a mad man," Jaime hissed before pulling the blade free and watching the man fall to the ground at his feet like a marionette that had lost its strings.

He had bought himself some time but he had no doubt that once Aerys had learned of what happened, he would order the burning of the city a second time.

He couldn't let that happen.

But his father was coming and Jaime had no illusions of what the man would do if he reached the red keep. It was obvious that the war had turned in favor of the rebels and the reign of the Targaryens was over.

But just because it was over didn't mean that all of the dragons had to die….just one of them.

Tywin Lannister had remained curiously neutral during the war and had ignored all ravens of assistance from the crown and the rebels.

His father was never a man who did things without thinking them through and Jaime realized in that moment that his father had been merely planning to see which side would win the war before he joined the fray.

And now that Robert Baratheon, Jon Arryn and Ned Stark had been victorious at the Trident, the rebels were going to win and the Lannisters had a chance to ingratiate themselves in the service of the new king.

But there couldn't be a new king unless claimants were cleared away.

Aegon and Rhaenys….

And then for the second time that day Jaime found himself running for the throne room. He knew what he needed to do.

Only two things were necessary now and he had to get them done within the next few minutes.

The moment he entered the throne room and found Aerys slumped on the throne, he felt his resolve harden.

"Where is it?!" Aerys demanded upon seeing him. "I ordered you to bring me is head!"

"I changed my mind," Jaime whispered before raising his bloody sword that he had just used to kill Rossart with. "There is someone else's head that is far better."

With that he advanced on Aerys, striding up the steps of the dais with heavy and damning purpose.

"What are you doing?" the king said uneasily as he tried to rise from the throne.

"Something I should have done a long time ago," Jaime whispered and before he could second guess himself, he thrust his sword into the king's chest.

Aerys gurgled and convulsed like a fish impaled on a stick before he finally went still.

Not even having time to contemplate what he had done, Jaime pushed Aerys body off his sword and ran down the steps of the dais, heading for the chambers of the princess.

He had gone no more than a few feet however when the soft sounds of a familiar voice called out to him. "And what do you plan to do now?"

Jaime whirled around and came face to face with Lord Varys who was standing a few feet away from the fallen body of Aerys before the throne. He had pursed his lips and as always his hands were folded behind his back against his rather garish robes.

"Nasty business," he murmured before turning to Jaime. But I warned him after you left. I warned him what would happen if he opened the city gates. But he didn't listen. Stories will be told about this day you know? People will speculate as to the how the king died, who did the deed and so on. But many stories will speculate about a missing Kingsguard who was not there when his king needed him. Oh dear..Oh dear. What a troubled time we live."

"If you have a point to make you old mutterer than do so before I gut you like I gutted him," Jaime snapped.

Varys eyes narrowed at him. "Lower your voice you fool! Do you wish for the entire keep to know that you have committed this disgraceful act?"

"They will know soon enough," Jaime replied dully.

"Perhaps not," Varys replied and Jaime whirled to him. "What are you talking about?"

The spy master was silent for a moment. "If the late King Aerys was so entranced by fire than perhaps we should give him a decent burial."

"What are you talking about?" Jaime demanded.

"Cease your wonderings, all will be revealed in due course," the spy master replied smoothly. "Go and collect the princess and her children with all haste. We have little time and even less to carry out our plans."

"Our plans?" Jaime asked in bewilderment.

"Yes Ser Jaime," Varys replied. " _Our plans._ Or do you think that I did not notice the softening of your demeanor towards the princess every time you see her…or the affection that you display towards Prince Aegon and Princess Rhaenys despite the fact that they are not your own? Do you think I would not know that you loved Princess Elia despite the fact that she belonged to another man."

Jaime felt the blood drain from his face for a moment and Varys waved a hand at him dismissively. "Do you think you are the only man to love a woman they can't have? Now no more questions. Go…before all is lost and our chance to rescue what is left of the Targaryen dynasty turns to ashes as the unlamented King Aerys was about to do to King's Landing."

Still bursting with questions and beginning to feel the guilt of what he had done, the knight nevertheless turned and hurried away.

And for the third time that day, Jaime _ran._

Ω

 **Finally we get to the meat of the story. Sorry for the long wait guys. As I mentioned on my other stories, I just moved into a new house and have not had internet for almost two weeks. But now that the rebellion is almost over with, the AU portion of the story will be beginning. I hope you guys like the chapter and don't forget to review!**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Elia

She had done nothing but pace since Jaime had all but herded her into her room and slammed the door shut before demanding that she bolt it and open it for no one but him. Rhaenys and Aegon were sitting on the bed, staring at her with wide eyes as she paced back and forth from the door to the window.

Her gaze was constantly turning from left to right and back again.

When she turned right she was looking at the door which led to the hallways and the throne room where Jaime had no doubt gone. All was quiet from that direction and the heavy silence sent a chill up her spine as it had never done before.

 _Where is everyone?_ She thought worriedly. _And Jaime where are you?_

He had been her closest friend and companion since news had come from the Trident of Rhaegar's death and the King had sent Queen Rhaella away who was heavily pregnant. The queen had given her a tearful goodbye and hugged her as if her life depended on it, the both of them trembling.

Elia had felt her mother in law press something into her hand and when the queen had pulled away and hurried after her guards, she had looked down to see that it was a small dagger. The blade was little more than the length of her hand but it was the whiteness of it that surprised the princess. It appeared like ivory and she suddenly wondered if it had been made from the bone of a dragon, perhaps one of its teeth.

When she had first arrived in the capital, the king had taken great pleasure in taking her and Oberyn through the throne room and showing them the many different skulls of the dragons that had died throughout the Targaryen's history.

She remembered noticing one of the moderate sized dragons had a tooth that was not quite like the others and wanting to ask about it but at the last minute had held her tongue.

No doubt this was that elusive tooth that had gone missing and been given to her by the queen. She didn't know why Rhaella had had it for so long nor why her good mother would think that she needed it…but now with the events of this day perhaps the queen had the gift of prophecy that her son did not possess.

She glanced toward the open window as a pendulum swings to the opposite side from where it was at first and then felt her expression tighten into grim sobriety when she heard the faint screams rising from the city.

A part of her had never believed that Lord Tywin was here on good terms. His ambition and ruthlessness were legendary and she knew he had not joined the war early on in the rebellion for a reason.

Perhaps now that the rebels were about to be victorious he had a reason.

She glanced towards her bed and the table with the drawers that sat next to it where the knife she had hidden lay. _I will not give him one._

Striding over to it, she yanked the top drawer open and pulled the knife from its hiding place before gripping it in her hand so hard that her knuckles turned white.

 _Its been a long time since I've used a blade, ten years maybe. But I haven't forgotten the most important part of it._

"Mama?" Aegon asked. "What are you doing? Where's Jaime?"

"I don't know sweetling," the princess said absently as she stared at the blade of the knife wondering whether or not she would have the strength to defend her children. If Tywin Lannister was here to do what she thought he was here to do than she wasn't going to go down without a fight.

 _I will not pay the price for my husband's mistakes…may the gods have mercy on his soul. No doubt he is burning in the Seven Hells where I cursed him._

"Is Jaime coming back?" Rhaenys asked her lower lip beginning to tremble. Elia sighed and looked at her daughter. Only now she was beginning to realize the bond Rhaenys had with Jaime. She had been worried about it at first, wondering if it was appropriate that her daughter have a fatherly connection with a man who had not sired her. And then she worried for Jaime as well. He had been so dark, so bitter and so angry when she had seen him in those first few months when she came to the capital.

She had wondered what was wrong but never came close to asking as she felt it was not her business. If Jaime wanted to tell her than she was certain he would.

She hadn't seen a true softening in him since Rhaenys had called him by the name of father. The shock on his face had been almost painful to watch and had wondered for days afterward if she should correct Rhaenys and tell her that Jaime wasn't her father…that a man she now hated and was glad was dead was the holder of that title.

But that had been when Rhaenys was still learning how to talk and it had been over a year since then. Elia had made a conscious effort to call Jaime by his name in front of her children, hoping that they would catch on and to her relief they did.

Perhaps it had been her way of holding him at arm's length but she had had enough going on in her mind to think about Jaime.

She had been in the capital for three years now was two decades old, had given birth to twins and was now standing at the edge of a rebellion that her husband had started.

Every part of her was screaming at herself to run but she knew she couldn't…not yet. Where would she go, how would she hide. Her brothers and any safety were thousands of miles away and she would never make it halfway to Dorne before someone found her.

Gripping the knife in her hand again Elia continued to pace.

"I don't know sweetling," she answered Rhaenys. "But I do know that no matter what happens, I will protect you. No matter if Jaime comes back or not."

But she hoped he would…gods but she hoped he would.

Elia had never realized how much she had come to rely on him over the past few years as Rhaegar's indifference continued, his father's madness increased and civil unrest in the realm reached a boiling point. Besides the queen he had been her only friend. When she had collapsed while she was carrying the twins from lack of water and food he had been the one to carry her to the grand maester. He had protected her as best he could from the king and ensured that her children were looked after. He had been the one she wept in front of even though she had not wanted to and he had been the one to comfort her with his words.

 _He is a fool,_ he had whispered. _He is a fool._

She knew he was talking about her late husband somehow and had been comforted and both seared by his words. Those whispered words from him made her feel…treasured.

Why was it that she felt so many confusing things for Jaime, a knight that was honor and duty bound to serve and protect her and nothing for her husband whose bones the fish were currently feasting on in the Trident?

And then she swallowed hard for even the knowledge of the truth was a bitter one.

Because she didn't love Rhaegar.

She never had.

The realization was both shocking and relieving and with came sweet release. She had been fond of Rhaegar, but that fondness had never grown into something more and when he had crowned someone else as queen of love and beauty her ego and confidence had taken a hit and she had hated him for it.

She had always been a gentle person but now even he was testing the limits of her patience.

Jaime had helped fill the hole that Rhaegar had created all those months ago and now she was waiting for him to get back too.

All of a sudden there was a knocking on the door and Elia jerked towards it like a marionette that had had its strings pulled with an awful tug.

She gripped the knife tighter in her fist and glanced at her children. "Rhaenys, Aegon get under the bed and do not come out until I call for you."

The tone in her voice betrayed no argument and they immediately did as she asked, taking each other's hands and sliding off the bed until they could scrunch down under it and keep out of sight.

The moment they were hidden and the sheets had stopped moving to indicate their presence, Elia strode to the door and closed her eyes taking a deep breath and steadying herself for what she needed to do to keep her children safe.

Instead of calling out to ask who was there, she simply wrenched the door open as fast as she could and brought the knife up until it was resting at the throat of a man.

"Ser Jaime," she said breathing a sigh of relief.

The knight raised an eyebrow at her but otherwise made no comment on her unorthodox introduction. Instead he just strode into the room and she quickly slammed it shut behind him. "Where were you? What did the king want?"

An odd look crossed Jaime's face then and he didn't look at her, seeming to prefer looking out the window at the smoke rising from the city and the faint screams that even here could still reach them.

"What the king wants is of no concern now," he said quietly and Elia frowned.

She was about to open her mouth to ask what had happened when she caught sight of the look in his eyes and she felt her blood drain from her face.

 _What in the Seven Hells happened?_

The near sick look on his face faded to one of concern and he glanced around the room quickly. "Where are the prince and princess?"

"Under the bed," Elia responded absently and then hurried over to the bed and raised the sheets so she could peer under it and see her son and daughter. "Come out sweetlings, it was only Ser Jaime. Everything's alright now."

"I'm afraid that that is far from true your grace," Jaime said and his urgent tone caused her to look at him in alarm. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that the Lannister army has betrayed the king and sacked the city and if I know my father as I think I do he has someone on his way here now."

"But why would he do that?"

"Because my father was content to wait out the war and see who was going to win and when that was determined only then would he pick a side. My father has never chosen a losing side no matter who he owes his allegiance to and the same holds true now. If he thinks that Robert Baratheon is going to be the king since his victory at the Trident and the death of Prince Rhaegar seems to prove that than he will want to ingratiate himself with the new king. He will find a way to place his blood at the side of the crown as he could not do years ago."

"And the only way to do that is to get rid of any threats to the throne," Elia whispered in horror the pieces jamming together in her brain with horrible certainty. Here was a chance for Tywin Lannister to have his daughter as a queen and the only way people that stood in his way were her son and daughter.

Jaime had seized her by the shoulders as gentle as he could given the situation as the pieces came together in an appalling fashion. "He is not going to get the chance. Gather what you can in the next minute. I am getting you out of here."

"How are you planning to do that?" Elia asked faintly, still processing that Tywin Lannister wanted to murder her children and possibly her.

"Do not worry about that right now your grace, just gather what you can and be ready to move on my say so."

His tone seemed to break Elia out of her stupor and she all but flew about the room throwing things into a bag.

"What's happening Jaime?" Rhaenys asked bewildered as she and Aegon climbed out from under the bed.

"We are going to leave your grace," Jaime replied. "This place is not safe anymore. I am taking you to your uncles in Dorne."

 _Dorne?_ Elia thought to herself as she flew about the room throwing things into a bag and in nothing short of a daze. _That's hundreds of miles away, how on earth does he plan to get us there?!_

The moment the sack was bulging with some of the dresses she had managed to leave lying about, whatever clothes she found for the children and a small pouch of coins along with her knife, she turned to Jaime and nodded. "Let's go."

He immediately bent down and picked up one of the twins and she took the other.

After that Elia was hard pressed to keep pace with his long strides and she had to practically run to keep up with him. Thanks to the adrenaline sizzling in her veins from her stressed nerves and anxiousness it was not as difficult as she might have thought.

Jaime was practically running as they reached the ground floor of the keep and Elia was out of breath and struggling to keep up as she bore Aegon in her arms.

It was then that she noticed that it was eerily quiet in the halls of the keep and the only sounds were those of their hurried footsteps.

 _Where is everyone?_ She thought to herself. _Where are all the servants?_

It didn't occur to her until a moment later that they all must have fled in fear of the Lannisters.

The thought caused her to swallow hard and her heart rate increased until they skittered around a corner and came in sight of the throne room where Jaime pushed the doors into the cool quiet.

It was then that she came face to face with a man standing by the dais with his hands behind his back and looking down at a rather large pile of ash beneath his feet.

He looked up at their entrance and nodded his head as if he had been expecting them. "Good I am glad you listen better than your father Ser Jaime."

"Lord Varys," Elia called out, surprised to see the man but happy to see a familiar face nonetheless. "What on earth is going on?"

"We have been betrayed your grace. It seems Lord Lannister has only joined the fray in sacking the capital because he believes the rebels are about to win the war and he wishes to ingratiate himself in the new king service. Ser Jaime it seems is the last loyal member of House Lannister to House Targaryen and Martell."

Elia nodded absently. She knew in her heart that Jaime wouldn't betray them but was glad for the affirmation all the same.

It was then that Elia looked around the throne room that was all but empty of people now except for the five of them and frowned. "Lord Varys, where is the king? I do not think he would take it well were I to try and escape. Our being here assures him Dorne's support. Without it, who would his allies be? The Tyrells are far from here by now waging war against Storm's End. They are of no help to us now."

"Alas our list of allies has grown short your grace," the eunuch said, his tone betraying nothing as it always did. "However those who are loyal to the king matters not anymore. Soon there are very few things that _will_ matter including the king himself."

"What does that mean?" Elia demanded.

Varys gestured to the pile of ash at his feet and Elia blinked when she looked at it. "Unfortunately your grace it seems the king had one last fit of madness and decided he was not going to wait for the rebels to come for his head and chose the manner of his death himself."

"He is dead?" Elia asked in shock, a sudden intense wave of relief coming over her. Gone was the man who had tormented her for the last three years about all of her failings and inadequacies and so too was the fear that he would come upon her one day in the halls when she was alone and terrible things would ensue.

His reign of terror was over.

"Indeed," Varys said looking with an unreadable expression at the pile of ash at the edge of his feet. "It seems the king decided he would die in the same manner he used to torture others in life. Fire was his passion and his life…it seems rather fitting that he chose it to be his end as well."

A strange look passed between Jaime and Varys, an expression that spoke to some sort of grim understanding.

Elia knew right away that things were not as they seemed and that she was not being told the whole story.

She opened her mouth to ask for the whole truth and not just part when all of a sudden the sound of faint shouts filled the air and terror replaced her desire for answers.

"They have reached the gates."

"Our plans Lord Varys?" the blonde said tersely. "I believe it was you who informed me we did not have a lot of time."

"Indeed," the bald eunuch said. "Come with me."

He immediately strode out of the throne room and down one of the halls, moving on silent slippered feet and making no sound.

Even though Elia was wearing a cloak about her shoulders she shivered unconsciously and drew Aegon closer to her, feeling his arms tighten about her neck.

 _Nothing's going to happen to you sweetling,_ she thought vehemently to herself. _You are the heir to the throne and now that your father is dead, you are the last thing standing in the way of Tywin Lannister's chances for a royal legacy. But he shall not have you…you or your sister._

It was this last thought that raced through her mind before the three adults skidded to a halt before the door that led down to the black cells.

"What is this?" Jaime demanded with his sword still drawn. "I thought you were showing us a way of escape." Even though he was holding Rhaenys in one arm and her little face was buried against his neck in fear he still gripped the sword determinedly.

Elia felt a surge of affection for him then. She knew without a doubt that whatever happened he would do what was necessary to save her children.

"Patience Ser Jaime," Varys said calmly. "The Black Cells are your way of escape."

Without waiting for any further questions he took a key from his robes and unlocked the large ancient looking door before ushering them inside and shutting the door quietly behind them.

Immediately the small company was bathed in darkness and a stench that Elia had never known before washed over her. She felt bile rise in her throat for a few seconds as they stood there in the dark while Varys locked the door behind them.

Thankfully there were still a few torches left on the walls that were burning dimly and the master of whispers wasted no time in taking one in hand so that they might see.

Seeing what he was doing, Jaime did as well.

With an effort Elia swallowed it back down and drew the corner of her cloak up to her nose and mouth to try and mask some of the stench. It worked with mixed success as there was still a different scent on the fabric of her cloak.

"Quickly now your grace, Ser Jaime," Varys said quietly and began to descend the stairs further into the Black Cells. "I fear we do not have much time. The Lannister army will no doubt have reached the keep by now."

Elia felt her throat tighten, fear overcoming her disgust for the horrid place they were in. The heat in the Black Cells was oppressive and if the way she could hear Rhaenys whimpering against Jaime's neck was any indication than her daughter was terrified.

She heard Jaime mutter something to the princess and whatever it was must have calmed Rhaenys down for a moment later the sounds of whimpering became very much less.

 _He's so good with her,_ Elia thought as they hurried along and she fought not to grimace as she stepped in something wet. _He understands her in a way that Rhaegar never did and never cared to._

She could feel the sweat sliding down her back from the heat in the stone walls and the lack of ventilation and she shuddered again.

"It is to our advantage that since the war began, the torturing of prisoners was not on the king's mind," Varys said quietly and Elia privately agreed with him. "As such there are no prisoners here who will be aware of our presence and perhaps give voice to our flight to the rebels in an attempt to free themselves."

Elia took a deep breath and instantly regretted it when the bile rose in her throat again from the ghastly smell. It was a smell of waste, both human and animal, decaying tissues and the rotten smell of earth that could only come from a mingling of all three. The stones were slippery beneath her feet and she didn't even want to know what was causing the moisture. What she did know was that she had nearly slipped thrice since coming down here and was now holding onto Jaime's armoured arm for balance.

He didn't seem to mind though and if anything had seemed to draw her a little closer.

"And how long until we reach this escape of yours Lord Varys?" Jaime asked with a tone of sarcasm in his voice that was anything but subtle.

"Not long now Ser Jaime," came the answer calmly and Elia could tell that from the way the knight's muscles tensed that he was less than pleased by the vague answer.

Elia rolled her shoulders and grimaced at the ache that was in them already, both from the bag she had hastily slung over her shoulder and the tense muscles.

 _It will all be over soon,_ she told herself silently.

They continued stumbling along in the dim light and the Dornish princess lost count of how many empty cells they passed or how long they had been in the dark.

There was nothing but silence overhead and it caused a dark feeling of dread to roil about in Elia's stomach like sour milk. It might perhaps have been better if she had heard shouts or the sound of metal clashing together in a terrible cacophony, but there was nothing but the dripping of moisture from the walls and the pounding of her own anxious heart.

 _I wish Oberyn was here._

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity Varys came to a halt before an ancient looking door and held the torch aloft so they might all see it. "Here we are. Your way of escape is through this door."

"Is it now?" Jaime asked sarcastically, shifting Rhaenys in his arms. "And how do I know that you are not simply sending the princess and her children to their deaths in the arms of my father's army in order to save yourself."

To his credit, Varys did not flinch or make any acquiescence of guilt or fear. "You are free to believe that if you wish Ser Jaime. But I can promise you this, if you turn back now that fate will most certainly await the princess and her children. I will leave the decision to you, whether to go forward with the possibility of escape or to turn around and face death. Whatever you do however remember this…it was not I who suggested that the gates be opened to the Lannister army. I will leave the blame for that at the feet of your father's creature Pycelle."

Elia flinched and stared up at Jaime in the dark, seeing the conflicting emotions on his face. She could see that he was desperate for a way out but didn't entirely trust Varys.

She decided to speak up then. "Lord Varys, what will we find awaiting us on the other side of that door?"

"There is a passage that leads beneath the rest of the keep and into the city. After about ten minutes to a quarter hour of walking depending on how fast your pace is, you will reach a set of stairs. Go up them and knock thrice on the door that you find at the top. One of my little birds will open it and then direct you to the stables where you will find two horses for your journey."

For the first time, Elia breathed out a sigh of relief. Escape was in sight.

"And what do you plan to do my lord?" Jaime demanded. "Am I wrong in thinking that you are not coming with us?"

"No you are correct Ser. It is imperative that I remain behind."

"And why is that?" the knight demanded.

Varys sighed as if he were explaining a simple concept to a child. "Because as soon as the princess and her children had left their chambers, I had decoys put in place to act as them. Tywin Lannister will believe he has killed the heirs to the throne when in the end the real Princesses Elia and Rhaenys and Prince Aegon will be in Dorne."

Elia blinked in shock. "Did you know something like this might happen Lord Varys?"

"I never know anything for certain your grace," the eunuch said spreading his hands. "However when the grand maester suggested to the king to open the city gates I had a feeling that things were not all as they appeared. Since the war had been going badly for your royal husband I had had a plan of escape percolating in my mind."

Elia didn't know whether to be upset that such a thing had ever been necessary because of her foolish husband or touched that the master of whispers had taken such precautions with her safety. She didn't know if he cared as Jaime did or if he had some sort of political end to all of this but at the moment she didn't care. All she wanted was to get out of there with her life and her children.

"And what of Ser Jaime?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" Varys wanted to know.

"I assume he will be accompanying us," Elia said tightening her grip on the knight's arm. "Have you come up with some sort of plan to explain his absence as well? I am certain Lord Tywin will want to know where his first born son is."

"The Princess is right," Jaime said. "My father will hunt to the ends of the earth to find me. He will only stop unless he knows that I am dead. Perhaps it would be safer for you if I were to remain behind your grace."

The terror that came over Elia then was like a storm. She wouldn't be able to get far without Jaime and she knew it. More often than not she had depended on him not only for protection but for friendship and comfort when her husband had disappeared on a wild errand with a girl that was more whore than wolf. If she didn't have him by her side, there was no way she would be able to make it to Dorne alive, no matter what sort of plan Lord Varys came up with. More than that though she wanted him by her side.

He was the only person in the capital that she truly trusted and with the betrayal of the Lannisters her list of dependable and brave people only had one name.

"No," she managed to choke out. "No Jaime you must come with us. We need you. _I_ need you."

She had slipped up then in her propriety and she knew it but she couldn't bring herself to care. There was no way she was leaving this passage if Jaime was not with her.

Elia could see he was wrestling within himself as to what would be safer for her and knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that there would be no safer place for her to be than by his side. She had to convince him to come with them no matter what she had to do.

In a desperate effort to convey this she reached up and rested her hand against the side of his face as he had done to comfort her not long ago. She turned his face so that he might look into his eyes.

She was surprised at the almost tortured look in those green depths but knew that she had to convince him of the truth of her and her children's need for him.

"Please," she whispered so low that she was barely moving her lips. "I cannot do this without you."

He closed his eyes for a moment and gritted his teeth, both of them forgetting that Varys was still standing there and watching their entire exchange.

"My father will hunt me to the ends of the world," the knight replied in a tight whisper. "If he has any inkling of my existence he will not stop until he has found me. If the rest of the realm is to be convinced of your death than there can be no loose ends. And I will be a loose end that is forever untied if I go with you your grace."

"Unless you are dead."

They both turned to Varys then who had a peculiar gleam in his eye. "What?"

Varys raised an eyebrow at them, the dim light of the torch reflecting off of his bare head. "If Tywin Lannister believes you to be dead, he will give up the hunt and be content to place a crown on his daughter's head. Yes he will have lost his firstborn son and heir but Casterly Rock does not lack for Lannisters. He will choose another, perhaps your brother Tyrion."

Jaime gave a quiet snort and Elia glanced sharply at him, but she said nothing.

"You are proposing that I die then?" the blonde asked.

"What I am proposing goes far beyond your supposed death in the eyes of the realm," Varys went on. "What I am proposing involved returning the Targaryen dynasty to its rightful place on the throne and you are merely a part of that. If people believe you dead in order for it to work well then so be it."

"And how would you convince my father of my death?" Jaime demanded as they stood there in the oppressive heat and dim light. "He is not an easy man to fool."

"I should hope not," Varys shot back. "How else would he have remained the Lord of Casterly Rock for this long as well as the Hand of the King for twenty years? No he will not be easy to fool, but that is where your sword will come in."

"My sword?" the blonde asked looking confused.

"Indeed," the eunuch said. "You will give me the one you have now and I will see to it that it is properly scorched so as to be believable enough that even the old lion will not contest it. This sword came from the west correct?"

"It did, my father saw to it personally that it was made for me."

"Good, then he will not be able to dispute the authenticity of your death. The realm will say that Jaime Lannister died faithfully serving his king to the bitter end and your sword will be proof of it."

"And what am I supposed to do for weapons from now on?" Jaime demanded.

It seemed Varys had an answer for that as well. "When you exit the door on the other side of this passage one of my little birds will show you to a room in which weapons will be provided for you."

"Convenient."

"When have I ever been anything but? Now hurry, we are all but out of time and if the rebels have not made their way to the throne room yet, they will soon."

Elia was the first to move, her mind still whirling with what she had learned. It seemed Varys had come up with a plan for every eventuality that they might face. "Come then, we can waste no more time."

"I am in complete agreement," the eunuch said as Jaime reluctantly handed over his sword. Elia could see that he was loathe to part with it even for a matter of minutes and she understood why. They would be completely at the mercy of Varys' plan until they reached the chamber outside of the keep that he had told them about.

But at the moment they had no choice.

She turned to the bald eunuch and grasped one of his hands between hers. "Thank you my lord. I don't know what we might have done had you not formulated this plan."

"Oh I am certain that Ser Jaime would have thought of something," the master of whispers said almost cheerfully causing Elia to frown. "My plan was simply a more well put together one."

"If we are quite through, then I believe we had better be going," Jaime said somewhat irritably and he reached out for the door handle.

"Indeed, we have lingered too long," the eunuch agreed. "Go now your grace. With luck and perhaps if the gods favor us there will come a day when the rightful heirs to the throne will return."

Elia could barely think about that right now and merely nodded, looking to Jaime as he opened the door.

She thanked the Spider one more time and then followed the knight through the door and paused as Varys shut it behind them.

And then she turned around and walked into the blackness.

Ω

Elia was certain ten minutes had passed before anyone said anything.

"Mama, where are we going?" Aegon asked quietly as he strained to look ahead of the dim light of the torch that Jaime was carrying.

"To Dorne sweetling," Elia said absently as she minded her steps on the stones. It wasn't as hot in this passage as it was in the Black Cells for which she was very grateful. It was however very damp and she had to watch her step with each one that she took so as not to slip and take a tumble. Jaime's height and broad back prevented her from seeing completely ahead of them and so she had to wait.

"We're going to Dorne?"

"Yes, we are going to see your two uncles and the ocean just as I promised not long ago," Elia whispered back. "You and your sister will play in the sea with your cousins and see Sunspear and the Water Gardens."

The words came automatically even though her mind wasn't sure if she meant them. Elia Martell wasn't a particularly religious person but at that moment she would have given anything for a sept that she might pray at.

It was utterly silent in the passage and the only sound was the dripping of moisture from the walls and their own harried breathing.

Rhaenys had been quite silent on their journey, preferring to keep her head buried in Jaime's shoulder and her arms wrapped about his neck as if he were her only lifeline to this world.

Elia ached for the terror that her daughter must be feeling but knew there was little she could do for Rhaenys now other than make sure she and her brother got out of the city without a moment's delay.

Jaime had also been very silent since they had stepped through the door and into the narrow passage. The look on his face had been terrible and Elia wondered what was going through that mind of his. She was afraid to ask though as their situation was dire and there would be time for less pressing questions later.

"Do you trust him?" she asked quietly and Jaime was silent for a moment as they hurried along before answering her.

"I trust very few people at the moment your grace and they are all in this passage. I will trust your brothers when we arrive in Sunspear but that is not for a long time yet."

Despite herself, Elia did trust Varys. He had been very meticulous with his planning of their escape and she couldn't bring herself to believe that he would have gone to such lengths of he planned to hand them over to the Lannisters.

No, they would escape and she would have him and Jaime to thank for it.

Their pace as soon as they had entered the passage had accelerated to the point where they were almost running and she had reached out for Jaime's hand so that they might not become separated.

The knight had stiffened for a moment before he had wrapped his fingers around hers and held on in a vice like grip.

She hadn't minded though…if anything it was sort of comforting. His physical presence, her children and their mad dash through the passage was the only thing Elia was aware of in this present moment.

A long few moments later, Jaime came to a halt and she almost crashed into him.

"What is it?" she asked fearfully, trying to crane over his shoulder.

"We've reached the stairs Lord Varys mentioned your grace," the knight replied. "I can see the door at the top of them."

Elia swallowed hard. "He was truthful then."

"So it would seem. Stay close behind me. I am not so inclined to trust the spider yet."

Slowly they mounted the stairs, Elia whispering in Aegon's ear the whole while. Her son seemed to understand that they needed to be quiet and was content to simply watch

Jaime's back with wide eyes as they climbed.

Once they were at the landing where the door was, Jaime reached out for the handle before he was stopped.

"Wait," Elia said fishing in her pocket for the small blade that she had been gripping when Jaime had come to her chambers. "Take this. It isn't much…but at least its something."

The blonde eyed the knife in the dim light and for a moment Elia thought she saw a flash of amusement in his eyes. "Where did you get this?"

"Queen Rhaella gave it to me before she left for Dragonstone by order of the king," Elia explained. "I'm not certain where she got it."

Jaime glanced at the small bone white blade for a moment and gave a sharp nod before gripping it in his hand and wrapping on the door quietly three times.

There was a long silence and a terrible pause where Elia thought for a moment that she couldn't breathe.

And then all of a sudden the door opened to let light in, causing the knight and the princess to blink from the spontaneous illumination.

A small form appeared on the other side of it and Elia blinked when she saw a small boy no more than ten years old looking back at them. He had brown hair and brown eyes and was dressed simply in a dark tunic and sandal. He gazed at them for a moment obviously making certain these were the people that he was supposed to look out for. A second later he simply nodded. "Come with me."

He immediately moved away from the threshold allowing them to come out and once her eyes had adjusted to the light, Elia could see that they were in a small supply store room. There were several blades hanging on the wall, nowhere near as magnificent as the one that Jaime had had but serviceable none the less.

And right now serviceable was more than enough.

"Where are we?" Jaime demanded turning to the small boy.

"The street of steel," the small boy answered. "There's tunnels that go all through the city. Lord Varys knows them all. He told me to wait for you here."

Elia glanced at the small window looking out into the street and winced at the screams she heard there and the acrid smell of smoke.

 _We need to get out of here._

"Is there a stable nearby?" the blonde demanded again.

"There are two horses saddled and waiting in the alley," the boy said calmly. "Lord Varys said to let you take what you need and send you on your way. The Mud Gate is close.

None of the gates have been sealed. Go that way."

Jaime nodded in thanks before striding for the wall and taking down two of the blades closest to him. It was now obvious that they must have been in the back room of a black smiths shop that had been abandoned when the army marched in to take control of the city.

That would work to their advantage.

Elia glanced at the long white cloak the knight was wearing and suddenly had an idea. "You need to take that off."

He glanced at her and then noticed the focus of her gaze on the cloak. "Why?"

"A white cloak like that and golden armor is a dead giveaway as to who you are. We will not be able to leave the city without one person spotting us. This is a blacksmith's hold is it not? There should be armor here that you can use."

Jaime's green eyes lit at the suggestion and he gave a sharp nod before handing Rhaenys to her which she balanced in her other arm.

The small girl whimpered and Elia gently soothed her back. "It's alright sweetling. Soon we will be out of the city and away from it all. We are going to Dorne to see your uncles and cousins."

"Really?" the princess asked and Elia smiled. "Really."

Jaime meanwhile had turned to the boy. "Are there any other pieces of armor here?"

The boy nodded and hurried off while Jaime busied himself stripping off his armor. "No sense in going about this half way. I'm no longer a Kingsguard, I shouldn't have to dress like one."

There was a bitterness in his tone that was difficult not to pick up on and Elia frowned at him as she watched the pieces of golden armor fall to the floor.

When he was once more in a tunic and breeches the small boy hurried back into the room carrying an assorted collection of armored plates that were more familiar to Jaime than to Elia.

He nodded at the boy who nodded back and ran to the door to keep a lookout. Elia bent down and collected his cloak before tearing it in half and beginning to tie knots in it.

"What are you doing?" Jaime asked and she gave him a grim half smile. "I am making a sling. It is going to be awfully hard to ride a horse with two squirming children so this will make sure that Rhaenys and Aegon are secured. One will be nestled against my chest and the other at my back."

"Allow me to take one of the twins' your grace," Jaime insisted and she shook her head. "You are our only defense. How are you going to do that when you have one of the twins on your back? This way, both the prince and princess will be hidden with me and no one will know who we are. We will simply be travelers."

Jaime didn't look happy with the decision but after a moment he nodded. "Very well."

"The coast is clear Ser," the little boy whispered who was still peering through a crack in the door and Jaime nodded just securing the last piece of armor. He took two of the blades off the wall of the small room and secured them as well.

"Boy," Jaime muttered. "Take these pieces of armor to Lord Varys when the sacking has passed. Hide them here until then if you need to. But let no one see them. This armor is only worn by a Kingsguard and the lowest footsoldier in this city will know that it belonged to one of the members. Varys will know what to do with them."

Elia had already knotted the first piece of cloth and tied it in a sling that knotted around her back.

Jaime quickly picked up Rhaenys and placed her into the makeshift sling before picking up Aegon.

"Are we going to ride on a horse Jaime?" the small blonde prince asked eagerly and Jaime gave her son a small smile. "Yes your grace. But you need to be very quiet and stay close to your mother and sister at all times. Do you understand?"

Aegon nodded vigorously and Jaime nodded. "Good lad."

He picked up the small boy and nestled him into the sling nest to his sister.

"Are they too heavy?" he asked.

Elia shook her head. "No. I carried both of them in my stomach for nine months Jaime."

"With all due respect your grace, they are almost four."

"Ser," the small boy called gesturing for the door.

"Yes, we're coming," Jaime replied before reaching down and taking Elia's hand, surprising her.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

She nodded. "I want nothing more than to get out of here."

"Come on then."

They disappeared out the side door and found themselves in an alley just as the boy had said they would. Sure enough at the end of the alley there were two horses saddled and bridled and waiting for them, stamping their feet impatiently.

Elia was as eager to be gone as they were.

Quickly the two of them hurried down the alley and reached the horses within a few seconds.

"Let me make certain that the coast is clear," Jaime whispered and peeked his head out from the alley.

A moment later he pulled his head back in, looking grim.

"What is it?" Elia asked fearfully.

Jaime said nothing but instead quickly guided her to a barrel perched on the ground in the alley and pushed her down behind it so that she was hidden.

There was a moment of dreadful silence and then muffled noises and then a sickening crunch which caused Elia to pull her knees closer to her chest and her children as well in an effort to keep them close.

A moment later she wanted to sag with relief when Jaime appeared again and took her hand, pulling her out from behind the barrel.

To her shock she saw two men in Lannister livery lying on the ground by the hooves of the horses.

Jaime noticed the focus of her gaze and his upper lip curled in disgust. "They had an idea of taking our horses. I had to end such an idea before it went anywhere."

"I am glad you did," Elia said quietly before gingerly stepping over the men's bodies and reaching her own horse.

Jaime helped her into it as quickly as possible and she pulled her hood up as it had been slipping off her head. He then threw himself into his own saddle and they turned the horses around.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

She took a deep breath and nodded.

"For Dorne then," he muttered and the two quickly spurred their horses out into the smoke drenched streets, hoping against hope for escape and freedom.

As they galloped for the Mud Gate not one of them saw in the distance a man with a bare head standing at the window of one of the chambers in the red keep looking down at the city. He would be able to see them better than they could see him as he knew where they had come from and in the silence before Lannister men burst in, Lord Varys sent up a prayer as he was not known for doing.

"Gods save us all."

Ω

 **And now Jaime and Elia are in the wind! The AU portion of our story has begun! I apologize for the delay in posting to this story and others. I was at working at a summer camp for a week last week which delayed my writing. But I am back now and am hoping to continue updating regularly. Don't forget to review and enjoy!**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Elia

She dared not look to the right or to the left. If she did, someone was sure to know who she was and give chase. She could barely bring herself to look over the head of the horse to see where she was going and yet Elia knew she had to. She had to steer the horse and guide it to get out of the city.

She and Jaime were headed down the Street of Steel as fast as they could guiding their horses to stand in alleys as scores of Lannister soldiers raced by and each time her heart would speed up only to slow down slightly and then race back to the incessant beat of a drum of war.

It was maddening that she couldn't calm herself because she knew she needed to be. This was not the time to panic and lose her head. Her life and her children's lives…seven hells…even Jaime's life depended on her ability to remain calm in this moment.

They were so close to freedom, but one misplaced action could spell disaster for them all.

So she clamped down on her emotions as tight as the reins she was holding in a white knuckled grip and gritted her teeth so hard she thought they might break.

Even Elia's thoughts became a steady and constant rhythm. _Almost there….almost there….almost there….almost there…._

At least that part of her thoughts was true. The Street of Steel and the Mud Gate were almost agonizingly close. In fact Elia could see it in the distance amidst a sea of people who were running in all different directions.

It was sheer madness trying to get a horse in and around all of those terrified citizens and the last thing Elia wanted was to be dragged off her horse and into the street. That would spell certain death.

Jaime seemed to know what he was doing however for they seemed to be using all the alley ways in order to reach the gate. The streets of King's Landing were a network of alleyways and narrow passages that were as interconnected as a spider's web and about as confusing. The problem with using the alleys was that they were winding and not as convenient as making straight for the gate as fast as they could. It was safer to use them as it kept them out of sight and away from unfriendly eyes but it was tearing at the Dornish woman's nerves something awful.

That entire ordeal was a lesson in patience for her because there were times when she had to bite down on her lip so hard to keep from making a sound she was certain she was going to draw blood.

 _Almost there….almost there….almost there….almost there…._

The Lannister army had no doubt reached the keep by now and discovered the people that were supposed to be her and Aegon and Rhaenys. Elia shuddered when she thought of what Tywin might order be done to them. She stifled a sob as she realized that woman and whoever those children were had given their lives so she and her son and daughter might live. And she didn't even know who they were.

 _Why does it have to be this way?_ She thought to herself as she waited behind Jaime in an alley that was about one hundred feet from the gate. _Why are men so cruel and greedy for power that they would brutalize women and children? Is this truly the world we live in._

Tears dripped down her face but she made no move to wipe them away because Elia didn't think she had the strength to let go of the reins she was holding. She had to hold onto something right now or else she worried she might go insane.

"We're almost there your grace," Jaime whispered from in front of her and she nodded before she remembered that he couldn't see her. "We just need to wait until some more soldiers pass and then we can disappear into the crowd that's leaving."

The chaos in the streets was horrific. Houses were burning the smoke was filling the city with a horrid acrid stench that made Elia want to void her guts. If that wasn't enough there was the screaming as people ran past, women and children who were either run down by horses or run through with the sword as carelessly as if washing was being hung out to dry.

It stunned and bewildered her that this was how people acted when they were given free rein to do whatever they wanted.

Once more she was reminded of how corrupt the hearts of people were.

 _I can't wait to be out of this city and be in Sunspear once more. I can't wait to see my brothers and my nieces and nephews.  
First you need to survive, _said a nasty little voice in her mind. _Nostalgia will be worth nothing if you are dead._

Elia shook off the dark voice and concentrated on staying as much in the shadows as possible.

They were close…so close.

She could see the Mud Gate in the distance and was only waiting for Jaime's signal to ride. His hand remained steady on the pommel of the saddle but she could feel the tension in the air.

"Mama?" Aegon whispered from the sling on her back and she nearly started at the noise. "What is it sweetling?"

"Why is it so noisy?"

Elia sighed and tried to think of how best to answer her son without explaining absolutely everything to him. "There are bad men in the capital right now sweetling. They are making all the noise."

That answer seemed to pacify Aegon and he fell silent once more while Elia breathed a sigh of relief.

Jaime had guided his horse as close to the wall of the building as possible and was currently only peeking his hooded head slightly out from behind the wall so he might look out into the street without anyone seeing him.

Elia focused on simply counting her heartbeats as they happened and reminding herself that she still could. She counted her breaths as well until she felt them begin to slow.

It would do no good to panic and lose her head now. Not when they were so close to freedom.

She swallowed hard and grimaced when she felt her temperature begin to rise. The long cloak she was wearing wasn't conducive to the heat of King's Landing and the fact that there were fires all over the city from out of control Lannister soldiers were making the temperature rise as the smoke was also causing her eyes to sting and water and causing a cough it was getting somewhat hard to mask.

She cast an anxious eye at the knight ahead of her. _Please Jaime, say its clear soon._

Elia hid her nose in her sleeve and breathed as deeply as she could without breathing in too much smoke as she tried to stave off panicked thoughts of the thrice damned cough that had plagued her for a good portion of her childhood.

She had been ill a lot as a girl and her brothers had been worried about her ability to leave Sunspear and marry. However when her moon blood had finally come when she was two and ten, the illnesses had gone away and she had been in perfect health ever since as pronounced by the Maester of Sunspear.

Elia hadn't had the cough as she called it for eight years now as she had just passed her second decade of life. And because she had already birthed two healthy children and had been declared in good health by the grand maester, she was confident in the fact that it was gone for good.

At least she was until the capital had been invaded, was being burned and now smoke was filling the air and her lungs.

"Now your grace."

At the sound of his quiet voice, Elia's head snapped up to meet Jaime's eyes who had been looking back at her.

He gave her one more nod to which she responded and then dug his heels into his mount, urging it out into the street.

The princess took a deep breath and followed, keeping one hand on the reins of her horse and the other against her throat to keep a hold of the tie that was keeping Aegon in place in his sling.

 _Almost there….almost there….almost there….almost there…._

The air in the streets was one of chaos and Elia was hard pressed to keep from cringing at the sight of it.

Acrid black smoke was pouring from the houses and people were running in all directions. There were distant screams that could be heard that were torturous to Elia's ears and she swallowed hard, unconsciously.

Rhaenys had been very quiet since Jaime had placed her in the sling and Elia counted that as a blessing in disguise. If her daughter didn't make any noise then they were even more likely to get out of the city unscathed.

The princess glanced up out of the hood of her cloak and noted how close they were now to the Mud Gate.

Jaime's form was hunched in his saddle just ahead of him and she could see the familiar slight bulge of the pack he was carrying on his back, the pack she had just thrown together before they had left the keep as if the hounds of hell were on their tail.

It was an analogy that was all too accurate for her liking.

They were close now, so very close to achieving their goal.

She couldn't see any gold cloaks manning the walls atop the Mud Gate and took a deep breath, ducking her head even lower and holding her breath as they neared them.

So far so good.

She saw the telltale sign of Lannister cloaks out of the corner of her eye further down an alley but heading towards them and ducked her head even further so as to make herself even less visible.

She gritted her teeth and urged Jaime to go faster. The clip clop of the horses hooves on the cobblestones seemed loud in her ears along with the beats of her heart. Elia took a deep breath which proved to be the wrong idea as she inhaled a large amount of smoke and nearly doubled over atop the saddle.

The brunette quickly pressed a fist to her mouth to contain the choking sounds that were trying to come out of it, but with minimal success.

She did her best to clear her throat, feeling her eyes water and shook her head slightly swallowing hard.

Jaime glanced back at her and she nodded her head, indicating that she was fine and that they just needed to get out of there.

The gate was now very close and every nerve felt as if it were standing on end in Elia's skin. She craned her neck forward slightly, as if she leaned as far as she could ahead it would lessen the time it took to get them out of the capital.

"Hey, you!"

Elia stiffened up like a board but she didn't dare look behind as a rough voice called out from the side of them.

She was able to see out of the corner of her eye a large burly man in crimson Lannister colors coming towards them. He was alone but he was wearing golden armor which identified him as a higher ranking officer in the Lannister army.

Jaime immediately reined in his horse and turned it to face the man, coming between him and Elia. "Yes good ser?"

"We're under orders to search everyone leaving the capital," the man said in his rough voice coming to a stop in front of Jaime's horse and peering at Elia from around it.

"Why is that?" Jaime asked in a calm voice and Elia marveled at his ability to play a role in the face of such dire circumstances.

The man laughed, a harsh sound that made Elia nearly cringe. "Are you daft? Lord Tywin Lannister has given strict orders that anyone loyal to the mad bastard be rounded up for questioning."

"We're simple travelers," Jaime said though Elia knew him well enough to know the rising tension in his voice.

"Travelers?" the man asked. "You don't look like travelers to me."

Elia felt her heart freeze for in the next instant, the man narrowed his eyes and peered closer at the knight. "In fact, if I didn't know any better…I'd say you look exactly like Ser Jai-"

But the blonde didn't let him finish.

As soon as his name had come partway from the man's mouth, there was a flash of silver and Jaime's borrowed sword was buried in the man's chest up to the hilt.

Elia gasped, she hadn't even seen him move.

Jaime quickly used his foot that he raised from the stirrup to push the man's body off his sword and then gestured to her before wiping it roughly off on the flank of the horse.

"We can't be subtle anymore your grace," he said quickly. "Come we need to go."

With that he dug his heels into the sides of the horse and it only took her a second to do the same.

Both creatures spun forward as if they had been scorched by fire and before Elia knew it, they were thundering for the mud gate.

She could feel her heart pounding wildly but didn't dare close her eyes and in the next instant, she felt a shadow pass over her face.

Before she knew it, they were thundering down a badly beaten road away from the city.

Elia didn't dare look back or at the line of poor wretches that she and Jaime passed who were running helter skelter from the city with any and all of their earthly possessions.

She barely felt when unknown hands reached out to take hold of the reins or her foot or hands that grasped the reins in a white knuckled grip. She barely heard the begging voices, pleading tones that tore at her ears and heart like few things had.

Later Elia would remember and she would hate herself for ignoring the plight of those that were hurting. If she had been in Sunspear, it would have never happened.

Oberyn had often called her the brightest sun in Dorne for she often liked to go throughout the streets and speak to the people as well as spend time with the children of Dorne in the orphanages throughout the city.

She was loved by her people for this but ever since she had come to this city her acts of charity had become less to her never-ending guilt. This was simply one more instance in which she would once again ignore those in need.

Elia knew the more important thing was to get her children to safety but she would never forget those poor wretches who she had passed on the road leading from the city.

She was leaving behind a place she had hated but they were leaving behind their homes in an attempt to escape the traitorous lions.

 _Well…not all of them are traitorous,_ she thought to herself, looking ahead to see Jaime riding hard just ahead of them.

She wondered how her brothers would react when she showed up in the care of the son of the man who had ordered the sacking of the capital.

A moment later her spine straightened and her eyes narrowed. _It matters not what they think. I owe my life to Ser Jaime and the lives of my children. The heir to the throne is still alive thanks to him and I will not see him belittled or mocked for what his father has done. Both houses Targaryen and Martell owe him a debt that can never be repaid.  
_

 _You're not there yet,_ a mocking voice in her head whispered to her as the wind screamed past her face. _You might be away from the Lannister army but you have a long way to go before you are truly safe. Dorne is hundreds of miles away as are your brothers. All you have to protect you is a knight who has seen scarcely more battle than you have and who's father might not buy that he is dead. Then where will you be with Tywin Lannister and the lions nipping at your heels? Are you certain Jaime Lannister is to be trusted?_

"He's never steered me wrong," Elia hissed back under her breath at the voice. "Jaime's been the only loyal friend I've had since coming to this damned place and I will be damned if I believe any lies about him too. So do us both a favor and be silent."

"Mama?" Rhaenys asked from inside the sling next to her brother. "Who are you talking to?"

"No one sweetling," Elia said absently. "No one worth talking to."

They continued to ride for another half an hour before she and Jaime brought the horses up a short hill and reined them in.

Elia turned to look behind her and could still see the glare of the sun reflecting off the capital that was north of where they now were. Smoke could still be seen rising high over the city and sending massive clouds into the air.

Elia wondered absently whether or not it would blot out the sun.

"It'll go for miles," she murmured and Jaime looked particularly grim. "Aye your grace…it will. Ashes will cover the city for a long time."

"I wonder if Aerys would have approved," Elia said absently.

She didn't notice when Jaime flinched. "Thanks to the efforts of Lord Varys and the king himself, we will never know your grace."

She sighed and shook her head. "No, it doesn't. I don't suppose it matters at any rate."

"No….No it doesn't."

Jaime glanced down towards the rode ahead of them. The volume of people fleeing the city had become very much less and the road was now nearly deserted. There seemed to be more people fleeing north as opposed to fleeing south.

Elia only hoped that that would mean she and Jaime would be unnoticed for the duration of their journey to Dorne.

"We should continue your grace," the knight said. "We have a long ways to go yet. We need to cover as much ground as we can before nightfall."

Elia nodded and then took one last look at the city where she had married, given birth and been forced to flee all in the span of a few years.

She wouldn't look on it again for more than a decade.

Ω

Over the next few weeks, Jaime and Elia traveled in relative silence. They stayed off the main roads as much as possible and always ensured that they kept their faces covered. It seemed that Jaime's blonde hair and green eyes were a telltale giveaway as Tywin Lannister's son and if anyone were to see the violet orbs of Aegon and Rhaenys, they would know who they were right away.

By now it would have been proclaimed throughout the south that the Targaryens had been overthrown and perhaps the new king would have arrived in the capital by now to claim hold of his stolen throne.

 _Baratheon won't last five years,_ Elia thought to herself grimly as they traveled. _That throne changes a person, it's a burden not a right and that was Aerys first mistake when thinking that he is not simply a man. He believe himself and his line to be a god. And now the only remaining Targaryens in this country are fleeing south for their lives…but everyone thinks them dead._

One benefit of the war was that many people to the south had fled their homes in fear of conflict reaching their doorstep so many of the homes both in the crownlands and as they headed in a southwest direction away from the capital they had to keep a low profile.

The crownlands and the westerlands were both controlled by Lannisters and now under Lannister control.

It was by far the most dangerous part of the trip and Elia was certain she didn't take a deep breath the entire time.

Fortunately for them they didn't lack for shelter as the empty houses they took refuge in had not had time to be emptied of food or animals still in gated communities about the house.

They took only what they needed and only spent one night in each one.

Their days and their nights followed a routine that Elia unknowingly fell into in order to survive. Jaime had suggested traveling at night but then quickly retracted the idea at the mention of bandits and robbers being on the road at night.

Instead they traveled during the day and kept off the main roads as much as possible. Whatever food that they found in the empty houses they stayed in, they storied in saddlebags on the sides of the horses that were also found in their travels.

They met few people on the road and the ones that did talk informed Jaime that the capital had fallen to the Lannisters and that Robert Baratheon was now declared the King of the Seven Kingdoms.

When Jaime had questioned what had happened to the royal family, they would often say that the Lannisters had taken the keep and that they had never been seen again.

Some said the words with glee and others with sadness.

But it wasn't until they had come across a merchant and his wife and four sons three weeks into their journey south whom they had invited to sit by their fireside that they learned more or less the truth.

Jaime and Elia had been posing as husband and wife for their time on the road as it was safer for them all.

Elia had wisely kept the children out of sight of anyone they chanced upon and knew she should do the same here. The violet eyes of her twins would be a telltale sign of who they were. As they drew closer south she could claim a relation to the Daynes who were also known for their violet eyes but for the moment she kept their faces turned away from the men.

Jaime had been reluctant to share in their meal as well and the two of them had only agreed because these men and their wives they were traveling with.

As it turned out, these merchants had come from the crownlands as well. They had been heading for the capital when news of the sacking reached them and they turned back. They had decided to alter their plans and head for the Reach instead which was similar to the direction that Jaime and Elia were heading in. They wanted to avoid the Stormlands at all cost and would have to travel in a more south westerly direction than they wanted to.

The man leading the merchants called by the name of Traven and his wife Cesena were surprisingly welcoming of them.

Jaime gave them the usual song and dance about how they had come from the capital and were heading to see his wife's family in Dorne. They had barely managed to avoid the sacking and hadn't heard any news since.

Upon hearing where they had come from, the merchant couple immediately asked them to stay by their fire.

Though somewhat reluctant at first, Jaime and Elia agreed. Though she was unsure of their allegiances, Elia made sure she kept Rhaenys and Aegon far enough away from their companions so that their eyes would not be seen.

Cesena was a gentle woman but had a sharp streak of intelligence and was shrewd enough to avoid places that would lead possibly to violence.

On their first night with the couple, Jaime and Elia mostly kept quiet while Traven and Cesena talked quietly amongst themselves. It wasn't until the subject of the capital was brought up that they joined the conversation.

"I expect the new king will be crowned soon," Jaime said to them and Elia could see he was working to keep the distaste off his face.

Traven shrugged. "I suppose so. Though I must say that its rather surprising how fast everything is moving. The Lannisters have already aligned themselves with the new king, or so we were told on the road and Tywin Lannister has already put forth his daughter as the new queen."

Elia's eyes cut to Jaime who had stiffened slightly at the mention of his twin sister. If she didn't know any better there appeared to be a sadness in his eyes. A moment later it disappeared and she wasn't sure if it had been there or if she had imagined it.

"But I fear Tywin Lannister may have dishonored his name for his dishonorable taking of the city," Cesena said with sadness in her tone. "Those leaving the city that we met on the road have told us that the army led by the old lion came to the city under a flag of parlay and upon the opening of the gates they proceeded to enter, sack and burn it."

Elia swallowed hard as she listened to the familiar story. She glanced down at Aegon and Rhaenys who were lying asleep beside her and ran a hand over their hair. When their eyes were closed and they were asleep, it was as easy for them to pass as Jaime's children. Aegon had the same blonde hair and fair skin and that was the first thing people would look at.

"So if Cersei Lannister is to be the new queen," she asked slowly well aware that Jaime's eyes were still on her, "then what became of Elia Martell and her children?"

She was certain she already knew the answer of course but she wanted to hear them from someone's mouth who was just an impartial observer.

If possible, Cesena's face became even sadder. "The whole story remains a mystery but if Tywin Lannister's actions for invading the capital are any indication…he may have ordered someone to do away with them."

Elia didn't want to know what sort of tools the man had used for just such an agenda but she was barely able to suppress a shudder.

"The poor princess," Cesena went on looking into the fire and stirring it sadly. "And her children as well. Hasn't the realm already bled enough?"

"Aye," Traven went on somewhat grimly. "The lions wills have forever sullied their hands and their cloaks after such an act. The princess of a great house and her children murdered in a desperate power grab. What a time to live in."

Elia cast her eyes at Jaime and saw him stiffen.

She released an inward sigh and prayed that he would not let these words against his father affect him. While she bore her own grudge against Tywin Lannister, the man was now far away and father of the new queen. His part in her life had ended as he thought her dead, had ordered her death even.

No, it was time to let go of the past. They were now in the deep south and far enough away from the Westerlands to consider themselves somewhat safe.

Elia wouldn't let nightmares of Tywin Lannister chase her all the way to Dorne. The man would have no more power over her.

They were nearing Ashford and in a few more miles, the power of the lions would be left behind and she would be safe in Dorne.

Elia had spoken to Jaime about possibly taking shelter in Highgarden. The Tyrells were Targaryen loyalists, surely they would provide them refuge.

Jaime had considered the suggestion but then had informed her that it would be too risky. Most of the Tyrell army was away besieging Storm's End at the time and one could only expect the Queen of Thorns, Alerie Hightower and her new son Willas Tyrell to be in Highgarden. Even though there would be fewer people, Elia could tell that Jaime was concerned about word of their presence getting back to King's Landing which the lions and the stags no doubt had full control of.

His father would hunt to the ends of the earth if he knew Jaime was alive and he would not stop until all claimants to the throne were dead.

They were still not safe yet. Even though the Reach would offer them shelter, that would bring them directly into conflict with the new king. Elia certainly understood that and the fact that the realm had bled enough on account of her foolish husband.

They would continue on to Sunspear…alone.

For the moment she was just glad that they had in fact chanced upon Traven and Cesena as they were decent people, the few decent commoners she had met that weren't overcome by greed or a desire for power.

 _It's nice to know that not all men are like Lannister bannermen._

At the moment, all present company was consumed by finding a route that would lead away from any soldiers despite what side they were on.

"Are you sure you don't wish to come to Highgarden dear?" Cesena asked as they settled in for the night. "You might take shelter in the city outside of the keep there."

"No thank you," Elia said calmly, feeling a surge of affection for this woman and her husband, a stranger who had welcomed them by their fire and given their horses and minds rest from their flight. "We need to get to Sunspear to see my family. We fled the capital for a reason when the Lannister army came charging in. I don't think I will feel safe until I see my family again."

That part was true at least.

"Very well my dear," Cesena said. "But take care of those little ones. This is a dangerous time for the realm and there have been too many casualties of it already."

Elia smiled at her. "Thank you, I will."

Later that evening when Cesena and Traven were lying asleep on the opposite side of a slowly dying campfire, Jaime and Elia remained awake talking.

"How much farther to Dorne?" Elia asked in a low whisper.

"Another three weeks perhaps your grace," he replied.

Elia sighed, "So long….it feels like an age already since we've been on the road."

"I know your grace. But Sunspear is at the very southern tip of Westeros and King's Landing is closer to the middle of the realm. We have to cross half of the Seven Kingdoms in order to get to safety."

"I know. I know. Perhaps we will at least have some protection for a few more miles," Elia replied casting an absent eye towards Traven and Cesena. "It's a shame we can't go to Highgarden. I know the Tyrells would welcome us."

She saw the skeptical look on Jaime's face and sighed. "I know it would be for political gain and there is a chance it would get back to Baratheon but there are times when I feel it would be worth the risk."

Jaime glanced down at the sleeping Rhaenys who even in dreams had somehow found her way to his side. Most of the nights that they stopped to rest Rhaenys had stayed closer to Jaime than she had to Aegon and her mother.

But Elia hadn't had much time to think about that, so far ahead and so far behind were her thoughts.

She was thinking about the capital and she was thinking about Dorne.

Had Varys well and truly been able to pull off the notion of Jaime's "death" to Tywin Lannister? Had he been able to pull off their "deaths" as well? Would Robert Baratheon believe it?

Elia wondered if her good mother was still on Dragonstone and had heard the news as well. She had been heavily pregnant when she had left and Elia sent up a quick prayer to any of the gods that were still listening that the news of it would shock Rhaella into giving birth earlier and hurting herself or the child. It would be her third and last one and seeing as how Rhaegar, her first born and beloved son was dead, she hoped this child wouldn't die….another casualty in a war that no one asked for.

 _I hope she's somewhere safe by now,_ Elia thought to herself. _Aerys, may he burn in the Seven Hells would not have taken such a risk with the last of the Targaryen line. Rhaella has suffered so many miscarriages throughout her life and taken so much abuse that she deserves to escape this life, a life she never wanted and raise her children far away from here.  
_

 _So do you,_ a small voice inside of her said. _You suffered three years of emotional abuse at the hands of Rhaegar and his mad father, don't you deserve to be happy as well?_

"Your safety your grace," Jaime cut it, making her jolt out of her thoughts, "is worth any risk. However this may send the realm careening into anarchy and blood loss again because it won't be long before the realization of the survival of the royal children gets out. No amount of safety is worth that even for a short while."

"I would also be endangering you," she said softly. "If someone were to realize that I live and had escaped it wouldn't be the greatest stretch of the imagination to think that you had escaped as well and you were with us."

Jaime shook his head. "That was not what I was considering your grace. I don't matter much in the grand scheme of things. My life is not being threatened, yours could be."

Elia narrowed her eyes. "Of course you matter. None of this would have been possible without you. Varys could only get us so far. You killed some of your father's men, you've barely slept so that we could even after we joined Traven and Cesena. You are the only reason we are still alive Jaime." She looked up into his green eyes that were made darker by the dying light of the fire and found she was compelled to impress upon him just how necessary he was in their survival.

And so she reached up and rested a hand against the side of his face, thumb rubbing slowly back and forth along his cheek. "You must know that. Surely you must."

He sighed slightly and a small fraction of the tortured look he had worn in his eyes right before they had escaped weeks earlier.

"It matters not," he said finally. "We cannot seek refuge in Highgarden."

"No," Elia said with a sigh. "No I suppose you're right."

A silence lapsed between them, marked only by the slowly diminishing sound of the crackling fire.

"So we continue as we were?" She asked. "As soon as we pass Ashford we part ways with Traven and Cesena and make for the Dornish Marches as fast as possible."

"Aye, and we will need to give Blackhaven a wide berth as House Dondarrion is sworn to House Baratheon and even though the Lightning Lords are no doubt away fighting in this war, we do not want to make anyone aware of our presence until we are ready."

"Jaime," Elia said slowly. "We are traveling as ghosts right now. How long will we have to remain "dead?"

The blonde sighed and seemed to deflate. "I don't know your grace. As long as my father is alive, I cannot return to Casterly Rock and you may never travel north of the Dornish Marches again."

Elia snorted. "You'll find I am quite pleased with the idea."

Jaime gave her a short grim smile. "Yes I'm sure that you would be your grace. The fact of the matter is however that there are only five people in the entire realm who know of our existence. My father, Robert Baratheon, Jon Arryn, Ned Stark and the rest of the rebels will think that the four of us died in the sack of King's Landing which has been over for some weeks now. Baratheon will no doubt have been crowned and that means that by default, Prince Aegon has given up his claim to the throne."

Elia bristled when she imagined that traitor sitting on the chair that rightfully belonged to her son. While she didn't hate Baratheon for killing her husband as it was something she had dearly wanted to do herself since he had dishonored her and left her almost at the mercy of the Lannister army, she did hate the man for everything else he had done.

Along with the deaths of hundreds of members of the royal army who had done Baratheon no offense before this, her beloved Uncle Lewyn Martell was also dead.

She had received news of his death shortly after she had received news of Rhaegar's and the knowledge had hit her three times as hard as it had for her former husband. She had made it quite clear to the dragon before he left that she didn't care whether he came back or not.

But Lewyn….dear Uncle Lewyn, none of this had been his responsibility to bear. He had fought and died honorably for his prince along with Jonothar Darry.

She didn't know what had become of Arthur Dayne, Gerold Hightower and Ser Oswell Whent as well as Ser Barristan Selmy but for lack of a better reason she was going to assume that they were all dead.

Elia cast a look at the blonde knight beside her who was eying the light of the fire intensely. All that remained of the old Kingsguard was its youngest member Ser Jaime

Lannister…the only knight besides her Uncle that was worth a damn in her opinion.

The rest of them could burn in the Seven Hells with Rhaegar for failing in their duty to protect the royal family.

Well now that royal family would consist of Robert Baratheon and perhaps the Lannisters if the heir to Storm's End was inclined to give them part of it.

It was then that she began to wonder about something and glanced at the blonde to her left. "Jaime?"

He turned to look at her. "Yes your grace?

"Why did you save us?"

He blinked at her and then narrowed his eyes. "I'm afraid I don't understand your grace."

Elia leaned forward and placed her hand atop his. "I am asking, why did you save us when your father's army was right outside the gates, knowing Tywin Lannister as I think I know him, he would not have missed out on this chance to place a Lannister queen at the side of the throne in the form of your sister Cersei. You might have had it all. You would be the heir to Casterly Rock, your sister would be the queen, whatever children she has with Baratheon would be the heirs to the throne and you would be at the forefront of a dynasty. More importantly you wouldn't be on the run here with me and a fugitive from the crown with the entire realm and your family thinking you are dead. What is the benefit in that?"

Jaime looked at her intensely for such a long time that she began to become uncomfortable. There was no tortured look in those green depths now. In fact he almost looked….angry.

"Your grace, how long have we known each other?" he asked finally.

"I would say that we have known each other since we were children," Elia said "but that wouldn't be entirely true. However we have known each other on a more personal level for the last three years. But what does this have to do with my question?"

"I made a promise," Jaime said quietly and her ears perked up. "What?"

He sighed and then turned back to look into the fire. "I made a promise to your uncle before he rode off with Prince Rhaegar."

This was new. "What did he make you promise?"

If it was possible Jaime looked even harder into the blaze as if it were trying to tell him something. Sparks crackled and rose from the wood into the warm night sky that was fully lit with stars. The moon was bright overhead and there was a gentle breeze blowing through the trees in the grove off the road where they were staying.

The grass knoll was comfortable and soft which made Aegon and Rhaenys have no trouble getting to sleep, nor the horses that Traven and Cesena employed for that matter.

It was the safest Elia had felt since she and Jaime had fled the capital and yet sitting there and waiting for his answer made her feel decidedly nervous.

"Jaime?" she asked again. "What did my uncle make you promise?"

"He made me swear an oath that I would look after you your grace," Jaime said quietly. "He knew he had sworn a vow to the king and the prince and one that he would not break. But Prince Rhaegar claimed that I would be all the defense you would need when Lewyn questioned whether or not you would be safe."

Elia snorted slightly. "As much as my husband was wrong about many things, I can say he was right about that."

Jaime sighed but said nothing more.

"And it was your honor that compelled you," Elia noted, feeling a slight sense of deflation without knowing why.

Jaime got a strange look on his face that was enough to make her wonder what he was thinking about.

"I'm beginning to wonder if I even know what that is," he said. "You told me once your grace that if there was a man in service to another who was giving orders in contrast with the consciences of his own subjects, than we could not obey him. Do you still stand by that?"

Elia looked at him carefully wondering where he was going with this. "I do."

He nodded. "Then you will know that I am now following my own definition of honor. And you and the prince and princess are part of that."

Elia frowned slightly. "How noble of you Ser. I have no doubt that my late uncle would be proud."

To her surprise, a small chuckle could be heard deep in the knight's throat. "I'm not entirely certain of that your grace. Seeing as how Prince Lewyn threatened bodily harm to me if anything happened to you or the princess or prince, I fulfilled his expectations, nothing more."

Elia chuckled too. "Knowing the temper my Uncle could have it was no surprise he was a man who was hot and cold in his emotions but nowhere in the middle. I am going to miss him."

"Aye, he was a credit to his king and served to the fullest of his abilities."

"And yet it wasn't enough," Elia muttered.

Jaime sighed. "I know."

"And it was all due to the indiscretion of one man," the princess said quietly through clenched teeth. "None of this would have happened if it wasn't for him."

"While I do think the actions of the prince were more than questionable your grace," Jaime said and then paused allowing her to see that he wasn't comfortable criticizing

Rhaegar out loud. "With all due respect, the actions of Brandon Stark, arriving in the capital and demanding the death of the prince sparked the war."

Elia bit the edge of her lip, reluctant to concede the point as she was reluctant to let Aerys or Rhaegar off the hook for any of the monstrous things that they had done.

"Given the reputation the king had amassed, it was a death sentence for Brandon Stark to come to the capital and demand justice for his sister and vengeance upon the man who abducted her."

 _Abducted her?_ Elia thought bitterly. _More like stole another man's betrothed and ran off with her causing a war and the near death of his daughter and son who was the heir to his throne._

She flinched and then mentally corrected herself. _Is, not was. Aegon is still alive and perhaps if the gods are willing he will one day come to take back the throne that was stolen from him by the Usurper._

"Perhaps it was," she said tightly. "But it would not have happened if the one man whose honor that mattered most had not traded it for a wolf."

Jaime looked back into the fire and they lapsed into silence once more.

Ω

Not long after, Jaime and Elia bid farewell to Traven and Cesena, thanking them for their help in traveling along the road to Dorne.

Elia was sad to part ways with the woman she had become fast friends with and silently vowed in her heart that she would never forget her and her husband's kindness in unknowingly helping to shield the last remaining members of the Targaryen family in Westeros.

 _I hope to be able to repay them someday,_ she thought to herself as she and Jaime rode away from the couple.

Their journey continued at a brutal pace from there on out. Jaime was in a rush to get to Dorne and get the four of them out of danger whether that was from someone who realized their existence or from bandits on the road.

As they travelled the weather began to become warmer and warmer. But until they reached Sunspear Elia refused to shed any of her clothes lest they should be seen and recognized.

It had been a constant struggle keeping her children out of the eyes of Traven and Cesena but Elia had made sure to keep the twins with her constantly and didn't allow them to talk to their traveling companions.

Thankfully because of Aegon's blonde hair and Rhaenys' dark locks it was simple enough to assume that they were Jaime's children. Asleep, Aegon looked near enough like Jaime that no one would question it.

To Elia's surprise and what might have been mistaken for sorrow or wistfulness, she found herself wondering over the course of those few weeks on the road what her life might have been like had Joanna Lannister not died and the agreement that she and her own mother had talked about to wed her to Jaime had occurred.

 _My life certainly would have been safer,_ she thought to herself. _I would not have married a prince but as of this moment that is the least of my concerns. Power is nothing if you do something and have someone else take it from you._

Every so often throughout their journey Elia would allow her gaze to cast toward Jaime and wonder about things that she probably shouldn't.

She had never let her thoughts stray this far before even when she had learned that Rhaegar had dishonored her by running off with another woman.

The Dornish beauty had vowed to be unbroken by what he had done if that required that she turn herself into marble in order to do so, well then so be it.

However there came a night as they were nearing the end of their journey towards Sunspear when the unthinkable happened.

Elia had fallen asleep with her children pressed close to her side when all of a sudden she was awakened by a shout.

She came awake with a start in order to find three rough looking men attempting to make off with the horses.

She stiffened in fear and jerked the children closer to her, causing Rhaenys to come awake with a cry.

 _Not now!_ she thought in near hysterics. _Not when we're so close to the end of our journey!_

They had taken refuge in a small oasis in the desert not far from Sunspear to spend the night as they had been riding for hours and both Elia and the twins were exhausted.

They had been traveling for weeks and were dirty, tired and rapidly running out of food and gold with which to buy it.

The small purse Elia had snatched before they had torn out from the keep had been depleted and they had had to settle for stealing small things from abandoned farmhouses along the way. Elia hated to do it, but it was a matter of life or death and so she had silently vowed that she would not forget the people who had unknowingly helped her and

Jaime and Aegon and Rhaenys survive.

Jaime had barely slept in the last few weeks. Even though he was their last line of defense against whatever might come at them, Elia insisted that they take watches.

He had slept slightly more when they were with Traven and Cesena as there was strength in numbers and disguises to be offered but ever since they had parted ways with the merchant couple, he had returned to his undisputed nightly vigils.

Not wanting him to exhaust himself, Elia had stayed up with him for as long as she could so his watches would not be made more difficult by silence.

She had been thinking quite extensively about the promise that he had made to her uncle before he had ridden away from the capital for the last time. Elia had wept more for Lewyn Martell than she had for her own husband which had cemented her hatred for Rhaegar because of how he had brought about her uncle's death through his actions.

 _I am sick and tired of men and women in power thinking they can do whatever they wish with no consequence attached to it,_ she remembered thinking to herself. _I will never have the same power that my former husband did but I do have enough power over myself to know that I would never want to be like him or his mad father._

But this whole situation had been one stream of madness, one right after the other and now she was paying for her husband's own form of insanity by sitting among these trees in the dead of night and watching rough men trying to make off with their horses, the only means of transportation they had for getting to Sunspear.

One of the men turned at the sound of Rhaenys' cry and noticed them. A feral grin rose to his lips and he left his companions and started towards them.

Elia scooted back until her back was against a tree and pushed the twins behind her.

"Now what do we have here?" the man leered. "A doe who has lost her way?"

Elia never got a chance to answer for in the next moment there was a warning cry from the two men behind him which came too late.

A blade sprouted like a red coated flower from the center of the man's chest and he jerked like a marionette on strings.

Jaime's livid face appeared over the top of his shoulder as the man fell to his knees and with a savage kick the blonde pushed him off his blade to the sand.

He gave Elia a quick look to make sure she was alright and then turned to the other men to deal with them.

Rhaenys and Aegon were frozen with fright and Elia quickly turned to reassure them when she felt the prick of a knife against her throat.

"No sudden moved love," said a rough voice. "I wouldn't want to slit that pretty throat. You're far too beautiful to be a bloody corpse on the sand."

Instead of allowing herself to panic at the prospect of a four man's presence making Jaime very much outnumbered, Elia's hand which was gripping the knife she had brought with her from the capital, the one she slept with at her side, the one her good mother had given her twitched slightly.

She had no confidence in herself that she would be able to kill this man using it, it had been a long time since she had held a blade much less danced with one, but perhaps she could distract him long enough in order to give herself some room in order to do some damage allowing her and the twins and Jaime to escape.

"What do you want?" she asked in as calm a voice as she could.

"I would have thought it obvious love," the voice replied. "We're thieves. We came for the horses, but you might be a better offer than they are."

Elia's grip tightened on the knife. There were still shouts coming from Jaime and the two men who were still fighting.

She twisted her grip as slightly as she could and was shock to see she had a little room.

It was now or never.

The man's arm that was wrapped around her neck with the blade in his other hand at her throat was just waiting.

So she prayed to the warrior for strength and brought her arm up as fast as she could.

To her astonishment there was a wet thump, the man uttered a cry of surprise and shock and the hold on her neck along with the blade disappeared.

Elia wasted no time and scrambled to her feet holding the bloody knife

"You bitch!" the man screamed holding his wounded arm and scrounging about for where he had dropping his own blade.

Elia didn't dignify that with a reply. She swung out with her foot and kicked the man as hard as she could in the head.

A jolt of pain ran up the length of her leg and she almost doubled over from the shock of it but it had been enough.

The man shuddered and fell over, blood gushing from his nose.

Elia then spotted his knife shining in the moonlight and snatched it up as the thief's trembling fingers reached for it.

With her courage returning, she stabbed it downward into the man's arm as hard as she could until it had been impaled to the sand.

The man uttered a howling crying and reached for the hilt of the knife but Elia didn't let him get very far.

She brought her other leg up and around and kicked him in the back of the head until he went limp.

Her breath coming in gasps and little shocks of pain radiating up her leg, her heart rate faster than it had ever been, Elia turned back to Jaime.

Two of the men was down and bloodied on the sand, but it was obvious Jaime had taken a hit as well as his shoulder was bloody.

And one of the horses was gone.

But Elia didn't think about that in the moment, she gathered up Rhaenys and Aegon who were crying in her arms that were still somewhat bloody and rushed forward.

"Jaime! Are you alright?"

"I…I think so your grace but…the…the horse – "

"Never mind that," Elia replied. "We're not far from Sunspear, we can make it there with one horse. Where did he wound you?"  
With an effort Jaime pointed the blade it appeared he had pulled out and was lying beside him in the moonlight.

Somehow the blade had gotten between the straps of his borrowed armor and scored a hit in his shoulder.

Elia gently set the twins down in front of the knight and they hurried over to him.

"Are you alright Jaime?" Rhaenys asked fearfully.

The blonde managed a small smile at her. "I think so your grace."

"What did they want?" Aegon asked.

"They wanted the horses," Elia muttered to her son as she picked up the hilt of the blade gingerly.

Upon a close examination of it, it was then that she noticed something alarming. At the bottom of the blade very close to the hilt and small cross guard, there was a peculiar few white grains of powder attached the metal.

 _That's not good,_ she thought to herself in concern before snatching her cloak up from where it had fallen and tearing off a strip of this.

"Jaime this may appear a strange question," she said quickly, "but I need you to answer me. Other than the pain from your shoulder, are there any other effects you're feeling?"

The blonde stared at her for a long moment and then slowly shook his head.

Elia let out a sigh of relief. "That's good."

"But I do have the feeling in my hand."

Elia's head jerked down toward the mentioned limb so hard it made her neck hurt. And she saw that he was right.

Jaime's hand was indeed bloody and the blade had come dangerously close to puncturing his hand.

Elia muttered out several curses before wrapping up the limb as well.

"What's wrong with Jaime Mama?" Rhaenys asked fearfully.

"He's been wounded sweetling," Elia said grimly. She glanced at Jaime. "It's possible that their blades were coated in poison. If we don't get you to Sunspear soon you might lose your hand."

In the moonlight, Jaime's face appeared white. "They've taken half our transportation to get there."

"I know," Elia whispered back. "But if we don't leave now, you might lose a limb. That burning sensation is the only the beginning of what you might feel if this poison is what I think it is. My brother's paramour Ellaria is an expert on poisons and if there is anyone who might be able to help you than it would be her. But we need to leave now."

Jaime paused for a moment before nodding. "Very well."

"Good," Elia said before turning to her children and getting them on their feet.

"Is Jaime going to be alright Mama?" Aegon asked and Rhaenys looked at her with wide eyes.

Elia closed her eyes briefly for a moment and prayed to the Mother for mercy. "I don't know sweetling….I don't know."

Ω

 **Okay so I am sorry for another cliff hanger but we are so close to Sunspear now I just had to put one in. Hopefully I will have the next chapter up soon. I hope you guys liked it and don't forget to review!**


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Jaime

They rode through the rest of the night without stopping. Well…at least Elia rode and he walked beside the horse across the desert sands. They had filled up as much water as they dared in the canisters that they had taken from an abandoned farmstead before they had moved on and strapped them to the sides of the one remaining horse that they still had.

Elia had suggested that Jaime sit the horse as he was the one who was injured but the blonde was having none of it. Despite the burning in his head his legs were still working fine and he would continue to use them until they buckled under him and he fell.

Of course when he said this to Elia a worried pinched look came over her beautiful face and he had cursed himself for worrying her.

She had much more important things to worry about than a simple poisoned blade. Jaime wasn't even thinking about his own life, not really.

He had been declared dead in the capital at the hand of the mad king and now he may just die in the desert on the way to Dorne.

Strangely enough he was at peace with the idea. After his dishonorable act of killing his king and abandoning him what other sort of way was there for him to redeem himself other than getting the last heirs to the throne to safety before he died?

The guilt and shame of what he had been done was almost worse than the throbbing infection in his hand because Jaime knew he had broken the cardinal vow he had taken before he put on the white cloak to protect his king.

It didn't matter that only he and Varys knew what had happened and that the spymaster was sure to say nothing. He knew what he had done that was enough.

He glanced up at the princess who was riding the horse next to him at a walk with Aegon and Rhaenys once more in their sling at her back. Her beautiful face appeared ashy grey in the predawn light and he hoped it was just the lack of illumination that was causing her lack of color other than worry.

 _What would she say if she knew?_ He wondered to himself and then forced the thought down. _It doesn't matter. No one is ever going to know. And at least if I die in this damned desert I will never have to tell anyone._

Perhaps some small part of him hoped that Elia would be pleased if she knew. He had seen the look of relief on her face when she had found out that Aerys was dead. He couldn't blame her. The king had tormented her for years and had been her primary source of ridicule when Rhaegar had run off with Lyanna Stark.

No one deserved that and Jaime had killed Aerys as much as to prevent him from turning King's Landing to a smouldering pile of ashes as to stop him from tormenting Elia.

When he had pushed the creature who was more rabid animal than man from his blade and watched the blood drain from him, the only thing that had been on his mind was

Elia's face and the knowledge that the king wouldn't be able to hurt her anymore.

He had felt a sick relief at knowing that her tormenter was gone and she would never have to suffer his presence again.

And now he was the one suffering.

Jaime glanced down at his hand that had been crudely bandaged to prevent any more blood loss and winced when he loved his shoulder. He was certain that had been knocked out of place and would have to be reset or else he really might damn well lose his entire arm.

The thought was worse than dying. He would be a cripple then, useless to anyone and good only for death.

Without knowing it, Jaime quickened his pace slightly.

The sun was beginning to rise over the desert and Jaime knew before long it was going to become stiflingly hot. So hot the sand would begin to burn around his feet and he would feel it through the boots he was wearing.

The heat in Dorne was enough to make a man melt who didn't know how to properly respect I and prepare for it.

Elia appeared to know this too.

"The sun will be up soon Jaime," she said quietly. "It's going to become hotter than you can imagine. Perhaps you should take off your armor. You'll be more comfortable without it."

"And what happens if we should be overtaken by another band of thieves?" he asked. "I with have nothing to defend against. I am as good as a dead man walking."

"Don't say that," Elia snapped but he could hear the worry in her voice and see it in her golden eyes. "You're not going to die. Don't even entertain thoughts like that. We are going to make it, do you understand?"

She seemed to be speaking more to herself than to him but Jaime nodded all the same. "Yes your grace."

"Good," she nodded. "Then come, perhaps with luck and a few prayers we will make it to Sunspear by sundown."

Jaime didn't want to tell her what he thought of her prayers as he didn't believe in the gods but he didn't have the energy and so he resigned himself to saying nothing.

They continued to walk on through the sands slowly but surely. The sun continued to rise and the air continued to become warmer, glaring into Jaime's face with an unrelenting cruelty.

He could feel Elia's eyes stray to him ever few seconds as if to check on him. Because of that he came dangerously close to snapping at her that her pity was not needed before he controlled himself.

It wasn't her fault he was in this position. He had made the decision to try and save her and the twins before he had ever put that sword into Aerys, before his father's army had shown up at the gates of the city, even before the Trident in which Rhaegar Targaryen had died.

And the knowledge of this had thrown a few things into sharp relief.

Perhaps he had wanted to save her because he knew he couldn't save himself. It was thanks to Cersei's scheming and his own stupidity that he was trapped in the life he had been in and had been serving a mad man who was fond of burning people alive. He couldn't save himself from serving a mad king and he couldn't save himself from the life his father had hammered out for him, but perhaps he could save someone else, an innocent who didn't deserve the fate that Jaime's father would have foisted upon her.

Perhaps by saving the princess and her children he would be redeeming himself from all the wrong he had done when he had forsaken his vows and killed his king.

 _I've done a lot of bad in my short life,_ he thought to himself as the sweat dripped down his forehead and ran stinging into his eyes. _I've deflowered my own sister, I've served a madman, I didn't have the courage to stop the murders of Brandon and Rickard Stark and now I've broken my vows and killed my king. That's a lot of honor to lose in so short a time. And now to top it all off I've deceived my family into thinking that I was dead so I could escape with that same princess and her children. No matter where I turn there is something wrong with everything that I have done._

He had a feeling in the back of his mind that these hopeless self loathing thoughts had something to do with the fever that was slowly overtaking him.

He glanced down and his hand that Elia had roughly tied with a piece of her cloak and grimaced.

Though he couldn't see it, it was throbbing and hurt like the seven hells. He didn't want to know what it looked like and felt bile rise in his throat from the sheer imagery.

 _Get a hold of yourself Lannister, you've well and truly lost your mind.  
_

 _Not yet,_ a dark voice in the back of his mind cackled. _But you'll be well on your way soon enough._

A curse slipped out from between his clenched teeth and he raised a hand to brush back the sweaty hair from his forehead.

The sun was slowly but surely rising to the center of the sky indicating that it was getting on to midday and it would only be a few hours more before the sun was at its hottest.

But from the way Jaime was sweating now he had a feeling that he might not be able to take much more of this.

Elia seemed to know it too because her next sentence that punctuated the silence was an odd one.

"Do you know the tale of Nymeria well?" she asked.

Jaime looked up at her in surprise and bewilderment to find a thoughtful expression her face. "What?"

Elia calmly repeated the question. "Do you know the tale of Nymeria and Mors Martell well?"

Jaime stared at her for a moment wondering where on earth the question had come from and could nothing more than stupidly shake his head. "Not in great detail no."

Elia nodded sharply. "Good, then allow me to educate you. You need to know what you'll be seeing when you get to Sunspear."

He noticed her subtle stressing of the word _when_ and grimaced to himself thinking more along the lines of _if_ he got to Sunspear.

If he believed in the gods he would pray to them to keep him on his feet until they reached the city so he could give Elia and her children over to the care of her brothers.

What might happen to him after that well…he didn't much care at this point as the pain in his shoulder was screaming at him and his hand was throbbing something awful.

But he didn't have the energy to deny her any more than he had the strength to turn around and god back to King's Landing.

"Very well," he said through somewhat tight lips. "Tell me."

"Yes mama, tell us a story!" Aegon piped up from the sling that was tied to Elia's back. The little blonde had poked his head out of it and had his tiny hands pressed against his mother's shoulders and looked as eager as Jaime had ever seen him.

Despite the pain in his hand and shoulder Jaime smiled. Nothing ever seemed to dampen Aegon's spirits. He had always been a happy go lucky boy despite the fact that he was the future king…or would have been before all of this had happened. No matter what happened in the keep between his mother and his grandfather, his father or with regards to the war and his father's death the boy forever had a smile on his face and unknowingly cheered the hearts of those around him.

 _He would have made a good king,_ Jaime thought to himself grimly as he looked at the little blonde peeking up over his mother's shoulder. _He would have brought about an end to the madness that his father and grandfather suffered from._

And then he wanted to curse himself for his bleak thoughts. _The prince is not dead you fool! He's making his way to Dorne where he will be under the protection of his uncles for the rest of his life. And maybe….just maybe if the gods do exist there will be enough justice in this world to sit him on the Iron Throne one day if Baratheon ever should be torn down._

He glanced back at the boy and then blinked in surprise when he saw princess Rhaenys poke her dark head up over her mother's shoulder. She gave Jaime a reproachful look at first and then a small smile which he returned although he feared it was more of a grimace.

"Very well then," Elia said and seemed very pleased with herself. "Did you know children that my family, the Martells and your father's family the Targaryens have a very long history even before we met?"

Jaime snorted in amusement as the twins' shook their head, violet eyes wide with wonder.

"How Mama?" Rhaenys asked in a quiet voice.

"I'll tell you," Elia went on giving Jaime a smug smile and he realized then that her story was intended to distract him from the pain in his hand and shoulder.

He almost smirked up at her through his eyelashes. _She's smarter than anyone thought._

"You won't know this yet, but your father's ancestors waged war against the Ghiscari empire in Essos a very long time ago. You haven't heard of them because the dragon lords wiped them all out. They used their dragons to tear down the Ghiscari Empire and raze their cities to ash before they established the greatest civilization known to man. And you both are a part of that."

Both Aegon and Rhaenys' eyes were wide at this point and Jaime chuckled quietly to himself before wincing and glaring down at the pain in his hand.

He was having a hard time moving some of his fingers and a wave of panic nearly overtook him then.

 _What if I lose my sword hand?_ He thought to himself. _I've never used a sword with my left hand before. What am I going to do?_

He was so lost in thought that he almost missed Elia's next words. "The Rhoynish army, my ancestors also engaged in battle with the dragon lords as well, but just like the Ghiscari empire they were defeated. There was one glaring difference however, they were not wiped out."

"What happened to them Mama?" Aegon asked.

"Well," Elia said with a smile. "They survived. And after the defeat of the Rhoynish army by the dragon lords at the end of what was called the Second Spice war, the leader and warrior Princess Nymeria, my ancestor and yours, led the Rhoynar into exile from the Rhoyne aboard ten thousand ships. They were to embark on a great exodus, a great journey across the sea."

"Are we on a journey Mama?" Rhaenys asked.

"Yes sweetling," Elia said quietly. "We are on a journey and soon we will reach our destination."

There was a long moment of silence where no one said anything and a sense of tension seemed to fill the hot air and the endless desert.

And then Aegon's little voice piped up again. "Finish the story Mama."

Elia smiled. "Alright sweetling. You should know that this story has something of a happy ending, just like ours will. After years of wandering the surviving Rhoynar which were mostly women, children and the elderly arrived at the mouth of the Greenblood in south eastern Dorne. Perhaps your uncles will take you there to see it and show you our history when we get to Sunspear.

"Now the warrior princess Nymeria met with Mors Martell who was the Lord of the Sandship so long ago. They made a common cause together because you see Mors's land was dwarfed by those of the powerful kings like House Yronwood. They wanted to take over Dorne so the only way to do it was together."

"What happened next Mama?"

Elia's golden eyes took on a wistful hue and her soft voice died away for a moment before she continued.

Jaime found himself almost in thrall of that voice as it had the quality of fresh fallen snow, soft enough to lull him to sleep but also to want to make him stay awake just so that he could hear more of it.

"And so Nymeria married Mors Martell and the two of them formed House Nymeros Martell. It was a union that would end the days of endless travel for the Rhoynar as they would make their home in Dorne and never leave. And on that day, Nymeria made a promise of her commitment not only to Mors but to all of Dorne and her people with a rather shocking gesture."

"What was it?"

"Nymeria ordered all of the ships that she had brought her people to Westeros in burned so that they would never leave Dorne. It was a gamble, such a public gesture could not be undone and if they failed in their campaign against the other houses of Dorne, her people might surely have torn her down as their leader. But it didn't fail."

"It didn't?"

"No, the people of the Martell land intermarried with the Rhoynar to solidify the bond between the Dornish and the Rhoynar and this union made their joined people stronger. It increased the strength of the Martells tenfold. After that Nymeria declared her husband Mors to be the Prince of Dorne using the Rhoynish title of prince instead of the Westerosi one of king. Primogeniture was also introduced."

Jaime wanted to laugh when Aegon screwed up his face at the unfamiliar word. "What's that mean Mama?"

"It means that the eldest child born to the ruling family will be the ruler of their house," Elia explained patiently. "Boy or girl it didn't matter."

"Really?"

"Really."

"What happened then?"

"Well, the campaign of Nymeria and Mors to conquer Dorne took years to accomplish because they had to defeat numerous lords and petty kings who stood in their way. And even though the Martells gained the support of other families like the Fowlers the Tollands the Daynes and the Ullers, their greatest opponent was King Yorick Yronwood the fifth. Mors fought against him for nine years."

"That's a long time," Rhaenys said quietly.

"It is," Elia replied. "And ultimately it cost Mors his life."

"He died?" Aegon asked his eyes as wide as dinner plates.

"He did," Elia said. "Yorick killed him at the third battle of the Boneway. But Nymeria continued the war and ultimately led her people to victory. She forced the Yronwoods into submission after another two years of fighting."

A sliver of pride crept into her voice then and Jaime stole a glance at her from his position below her. It was obvious she was very proud of her family history and knowing she would be able to pass it on to her children was important to her.

"And at the end of the war Nymeria sent six of the self styled kings to the Wall. The fortress of Sunspear was made the capital of Dorne and House Martell has ruled the land ever since."

"And what about Nymeria?" Rhaenys asked.

"She married again to Davos Dayne," Elia replied. "But the child she had with Mors, a daughter became the ruler of Dorne after her, even though the first child she had with Davos was a male. You come from a proud lineage the both of you. Dorne was only brought into the Seven Kingdoms by the Targaryen through marriage and it did not occur until two centuries after the Targaryens came to Westeros. We are a proud people and the words Unbowed, Unbent and Unbroken will always define our house."

There was an awed silence a moment later causing Jaime to smile at Aegon and Rhaenys' expressions of wonderment.

"You also have cousins in Sunspear did you know that?' Elia asked and the twins both shook their heads.

"Well you do. Their names are Arianne and Quentyn and Trystane. Your cousin Arianne is the heir to Sunspear and one day she will rule all of Dorne. I can't wait for you to meet her?"

"Have you met her Mama?" Aegon asked eagerly.

"Only once," Elia said. "She was still a babe when I left Dorne to marry your father. But she looks almost exactly like you Rhaenys."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Mama?" Rhaenys asked in a quiet tone which caused Jaime to get a sinking feeling that a deep question was coming.

"Yes sweetling?" Elia asked her gaze focused on the road and the sandy dunes that their tired horse was plodding over.

"When we will get there?"

"Hopefully soon sweetling," Elia replied calmly. "I know your uncles will be so happy to see you and your cousins will want to show you Sunspear. It's the most beautiful place in the world. And it doesn't stink like King's Landing."

That last part was said under her breath and Jaime smirked slightly to hear her assessment of the place.

The stink of the capital was something that all visitors and residents commented on whether they were common folk or nobly born.

After a while he had almost become used to it, just like he had almost become used to Aerys treachery and madness….and that frightened him more than anything, that he had almost become accustomed to the monstrosities of the king that he swore to serve and had killed by his own hand.

 _You took a vow to protect the king not to judge him…._

"Piss off," Jaime muttered underneath his breath and Elia frowned before turning towards him. "Did you say something Jaime?"

"No your grace."

She looked at him carefully then, _really_ looked at him and her exquisite face twisted into a frown slightly. "How are you feeling?"

It was on the tip of Jaime's tongue to say _like death warmed over_ but he knew that would hardly be productive and would only serve as a means to frighten her.

Even though she was worried about him she also knew he had her children to think about as well and they mattered more than he did.

His only task was to get them to Sunspear…after that….well after that it was left up to the Martells what to do.

In a way, his life as he knew it was over. To the rest of the realm he was a dead man who had perished with his king. And if they didn't get to Sunspear soon he was dead for real anyway.

He risked a glance down at his crudely bandaged hand and was tempted to pull back the makeshift coverlet that Elia had tied so he could see how bad the damage was. His other hand that was still gripping the sword he had haphazardly put back on after their nighttime fight twitched towards his wounded one but he stayed his fingers at the last moment and took in a deep breath.

 _It would do not good now to look at it. Either I lose my fingers or I lose my whole hand and any fighting ability I might have had. Apparently the only one who can save me now is the paramour of Prince Oberyn. How strange life has become. And if these are my final days on it….well then at least maybe I've managed to reclaim some of my honor._

"Fine your grace," he replied quietly. "I am fine."

But he knew Elia didn't believe him.

Ω

It had been a long time since he had seen the red keep this full of people.

The last time it had been this populated had been at the wedding of the prince and his bride from Dorne.

That left like an age ago.

In fact the last few weeks had felt like an age as well. And he had thought it tricky to serve the mad king when he was still alive….it was nothing compared to all the logistics of his death.

Not long after Ser Jaime and Princess Elia and her children had narrowly escaped the keep and fled the capital which he had watched until they were out of sight and heading south, the dog of the Lannisters, the Mountain and Amory Lorch along with a smaller contingent of guards had burst into the keep and gone looking for the princess.

He had sequestered himself in his room and busied himself with other tasks before they had shown up for him thus he did not hear what they did to that poor girl and the children with her.

He was sorry for what had happened to her, she had had a role to play and she fulfilled it well but it didn't make him any less sorry that it had happened.

Varys had always only looked out for himself as well as interests of the king and in the last days thankfully those interests had coincided.

Once the bodies of the woman and the children had been finished being desecrated by the Mountain and his men they were wrapped in a red cloak and laid to rest on the floor of the throne room before the dais no doubt so that they would be presented to the new king when he arrived.

Because Baratheon had been injured at the Trident, Ned Stark, Jon Arryn and their combined armies had arrived at the Red Keep first and had been noticeably appalled and horrified at the manner in which the fake princess and the children had been killed.

Varys had always had a skilled face and an ability to be as expressionless as he wanted but the interrogation by Tywin Lannister in the days following the sack of the capital was one that even he found difficult.

He knew it would be difficult to convince the aging lord about his son's death at the hands of the Mad King but that it was necessary to do so that he would not lose his head and that the knowledge of the living princess and her children would be kept secret. In order for that to happen, Jaime Lannister's death had to be believable.

And so he had told Tywin that in the last days before the Lannister army had arrived at the capital and war was still being waged at the Trident that Ser Jaime had attempted to leave King's Landing to fight alongside the prince.

In a rage, the king had ordered him imprisoned before tying him to a pyre and burning him alive. All that remained was his sword and scorched armor that Varys had properly seen to in order to make it as believable as possible.

All these items he had presented to the old lion withholding nothing and had simply waited for the rest of the chips to fall where they may.

Varys had observed Jaime from afar for years and had noted how foolishly honorable he was and how much he valued nobility in a knight. Varys could also tell how disgusted the blonde was with serving the king and how much he wished for justice.

Unlike him Jaime did not have a good playing face and it had worked to Varys advantage. He had been able to see that young knight was falling in love with the princess a long time before Jaime realized it himself and thus it had been all that much easier to subtly manipulate the knight into doing his bidding.

He had wanted to save Elia, he had seen it in his eyes and when the two had looked at each other down in the Black Cells and the princess had begged Ser Jaime to come with them…Varys had seen that she loved him too.

 _Oh what a tangled web we weave…._

He wasn't sure if either of them were aware of the feelings the other had but concluded that perhaps it was something they might act upon when they reached Dorne.

 _They are still young he thought to himself, and now that Jaime Lannister has all but betrayed his family unknowingly he will be the piece that ultimately tears them down from power once Aegon Targaryen comes of age. No…this is not the end._

It was for Tywin Lannister however who if anything seemed to become more cold, distant and ruthless since he had received the knowledge of his son's death.

He had summoned his daughter there without delay and the wedding to Robert Baratheon had taken place shortly after.

The new king had had his coronation and for all intents and purposes was the Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and protector of the realm…for now.

Varys had watched Cersei Lannister carefully upon her arrival at court and noted that her face though gave the appearance of grieving for her brother seemed to have lost none of its desire for power.

 _Yes, Ser Jaime will be her undoing…will be all of their undoing._

At the moment he was sitting in his chambers after a rather taxing meeting of the small council where he had been allowed to retain his position.

Tywin Lannister had departed for Casterly Rock with all that was left of his sons material possessions along with the charred bones of a prisoner whom he believed to be Jaime's.

Varys would admit that he had taken a little too much pleasure in recanting what had happened in great detail to Tywin. His expressions hadn't changed but Varys had been certain he had seen a flash of pain in the older man's green eyes.

He didn't allow himself a private moment of victory until he had returned to his chambers and shut the door behind him. Then and only then…he had allowed himself to smile.

Varys thought he was justified in his private moment of celebration as he had succeeded in outsmarting the new king, the old lion and all of the rest of the realm. If this worked and Prince Aegon returned to take the throne, it would be the biggest ruse pulled over the eyes of all of Westeros perhaps ever.

It was also rather interesting to see what the bodies of the believed princesses and prince had done to Eddard Stark when he arrived to secure the capital ahead of Robert Baratheon.

The face of the quiet wolf had gone pale and sort of crumpled almost as if he were suppressing the urge to weep when he had seen those bodied wrapped in those red cloaks.

It had been….interesting to say the least.

The argument he had had with Baratheon before he had stormed out was even more interesting and Varys wondered if they would be able to mend their friendship after this gross disagreement and clash of morals.

But even if they didn't, it didn't matter at any rate.

The Targaryens would return whether Westeros was peaceful when it happened or not.

Calmly he poured a glass of wine from the decanter on the table by the window and seated himself by the fire.

They should be arriving in Dorne any day now. And if he didn't receive a letter from Prince Doran within the next few days well…perhaps he would write one himself.

Ω

He was hot.

There were times when Jaime forgot if he knew what it felt like to be cool.

He had long since lost all feeling in his hand and his entire right arm felt numb. That might have been mind over matter but at the moment all he could feel was the searing in his fingers and the numbness of his arm.

That either meant that his body was shutting down the functions of his hand in order to save itself, or his hand had now become useless.

The sun continued to blaze in a cloudless blue sky as they continued their plodding trek across the sands of Dorne.

All of their heads were bowed to keep the sun from their eyes and their faces and because it took too much energy to raise them.

Aegon and Rhaenys had long since gone quiet after their mother's story and were now nestled snugly in the sling on her back so they might stay out of the sun as well.

The only water they had was what had been brought with them from the last oasis they had stopped in and it was rapidly running out.

As much as he was dying of thirst Jaime didn't dare ask for a single drop. The princess and her children needed it more than he did.

He could taste the saltiness of his own sweat as it ran down his face, stinging his eyes and occasionally touched his lips.

He cringed slightly but made no other action of discomfort than that.

It simply became a matter of putting one foot after the other even though his limbs began to feel as heavy as lead.

 _Keep going….keep going….almost there….almost there….._

He concentrated on his breathing and on the sound of it going into and coming out of his mouth.

 _In….and out….in….and out….in…..and out….in….and out….._

His steps became a mantra, the pain an ever distance throbbing in his hand, his shoulder and the back of his mind.

He was certain that the joint had been knocked out of place and would need to be properly set along with the blade he had been stabbed with would need to be sewed up.

If he made it that was.

He wasn't aware that Elia was watching him with a concerned gaze and he was so focused on simply putting one foot in front of the other that he barely noticed when a stone happened to be his path and his foot clanged against nearly causing him to go sprawling to the sand.

"Jaime!" Elia cried out even as he steadied himself. "By the gods are you alright?"

He raised a hand in order to wave off her concerns but she had already pulled the exhausted horse to a halt and clambered down from it as fast as she could, raising his chin so that she might look into his eyes.

Before he could tell her that he was fine she had pressed a hand to the side of his face as if assessing his temperature.

Her hand was blessedly cool and he was hard pressed to not close his eyes in response to the comfort of her touch.

"You're burning up," she whispered.

"It's just the heat of the desert your grace," he said in an effort to placate her.

"No," Elia replied, her tone soft and slow with worry. "I know what the heat of this desert does to a person. I grew up here remember? I know how much heat a man can stand and I also know what temperature from the elements looks like and temperature from a fever. You have a fever, the weather would help you to sweat it out if you didn't have that blasted infection from the poison. Let me see your hand."

It was on the tip of his tongue to deny her but he didn't have the energy or the motivation to do so and so he simply let her gentle undo the crude bandage on his hand.

She said nothing when the fingers came into view, but her hand on his other arm tense and he looked carefully into her face. "How bad is it?"

Elia pursed her lips. "Bad enough."

She immediately proceeded to rewrap his hand. He got the distinct feeling that she didn't want him to see how bad it was and a cold feeling settling in the pit of his stomach that rivaled any pain he had felt all day.

He opened his mouth but to say what he didn't know when all of a sudden she thrust the waterskin in his hand.

"What are you doing?" he asked her.

"Keeping you alive," she all but snapped at him. "Drink it."

He tried to protest. "You need it more than I do."

She shook her head. "Jaime you are dead on your feet and unless you wish to die of dehydration and fever before the infection gets to you than you will drink the water. I have already had my fill and both Aegon and Rhaenys are asleep. They should be until we reach Dorne."

"And if they wake up then and are thirsty?" Jaime countered. "I am not going to be the one to deny water from the prince and princess."

Elia stared at him for a long moment and he was surprised to see her golden eyes blazing. "And what are they going to say if you are dead and found out that they could have saved you by being just a little bit thirsty. Contrary to what you might think my daughter and son care a great deal about what happens to you Jaime and I know for a fact that if it meant having you with us they would be alright with being thirsty for a little while."

Jaime stared down at the water skin she was offering him and could then think of no other arguments with which to dissuade her.

"Very well," he said so low she barely heard him.

And their journey continued.

Despite the fact that Jaime didn't have the energy to argue with her about the water, he refused to concede fully and only took small sips and only when he felt his tongue begin to cling to the roof of his mouth.

He could feel Elia's eyes on him but he didn't care. He wasn't going to be responsible for leaving the last of the royal family in Westeros without water.

It didn't make much of a difference anyway, the heat of the sun had turned the water warm and it had become somewhat unappealing to drink which added to Jaime's own disgust for himself, the situation and the water itself.

The sun continue to rise….and then mercifully, shockingly it began to lower in the sky and the brutal sun's heat began to diminish.

A wind blew, lifting Jaime's sweaty hair from his forehead and somehow he had the energy to lift his face towards it, closing his eyes and feeling a momentary reprieve from the heat and the sweat that was sliding down his back beneath his dusty travel worn clothes and dented armor.

"Can you feel that?" Elia asked softly and he looked at her and nodded. "Where is it coming from?"

An elated look filled her beautiful face. "The sea. We're getting close. Our journey is almost at an end."

Jaime hardly dared think that was true, it seemed impossible that the endless desert would soon be behind them. His mind was unwilling to believe it and somehow he managed to summon the strength to raise his head.

The sun was beginning to set and the heat of the day had mercifully come to an end. He eyes Elia's feet in the stirrups of the exhausted horse and was glad she had been wearing sturdy enough shoes that the heat of the sand hadn't burned her skin.

Their path began an upward incline and Jaime felt whatever strength he had left all but drain from his bones.

 _Keep going,_ and indignant voice in his head demanded.

And so he did, they continued a climb up a particularly high sand dune and upon the moment they reached the top of it, Elia's breath caught in her throat.

And it was there that Jaime saw Sunspear for the first time.

"There is it," Elia whispered tearfully. "We're home."

Two enormous towers stretched one hundred and fifty feet in height above the walls that surrounded them. There was a spear of gilded steel attached to the very top of one of them that appeared nearly an extra thirty feet. The other one was shorter and appeared a bronzy gold color when the sun hit it directly.

Jaime could see the three massive winding walls which circled each other. They were still a distance away from it, but Jaime could hear the faint roar of the ocean from the place where Sunspear sat near the sea.

"The seat of House Nymeros Martell Jaime," Elia whispered.

"Aye," he replied. "We made it."

They continued plodding toward the gates and only barely made it inside in time before the gates shut for the night.

Everything seemed to pass in a blur for Jaime and he was barely aware of the fact that he had gone numb.

When they reached the gates of the Sandship and the Tower of the Sun he barely remembered the words he was supposed to say.

"I am Jaime Lannister, here to deliver the Princess Elia, Princess Rhaenys and Prince Aegon safely into the care of Prince Doran."

The words sounded strange and foreign, almost thick, coming from his mouth, but he said them anyway as if he were no more alive than a ghost.

One of the guards carrying a tall spear burst out laughing as if Jaime had made a classic jape. "Are you mad boy? The princess and her children were killed in King's Landing by the scum Lannisters. Who are you really?"

And that was when Elia spoke up. "Did you not hear Ser Jaime Lannister? I am Elia Nymeros Martell sister to Prince Doran Martell the Lord of Sunspear and the Sandship. And you will let me and my children and Ser Jaime. We have traveled for weeks and have come a long way. My children are exhausted as am I and Ser Jaime is badly in need of a maester. You _will_ let us pass."

As she was speaking she pulled down the hood of the dirty torn cloak she was wearing and let her long black hair tumble down her back.

Aegon and Rhaenys poked their heads out of the sling on her back and at the sight of Aegon's blonde hair and the double set of violet eyes on the twins's the guards went white.

"My apologies my lady," one of the guards. "Please follow me and come quickly."

Elia urged her tired horse in through the gates and seized hold of Jaime's free hand to make sure that he followed them.

But it was only when they entered the tower itself and the courtyard before it and servants came running that the light headedness that Jaime had been feverishly fighting off came over him in a wave.

He barely remembered helping Elia down from her horse and helping her to untie the sling on her back so Aegon and Rhaenys could climb out before his vision tunneled.

A darkness was forming around his eyes and he seemed as powerless to resist it as he was able to move his hand.

Each breath seemed laborious then and things began to become grey. He stumbled and barely realized that he was falling before he landed flat on his back on the ground.

He was barely aware of Elia calling his name and the last thing Jaime saw before he blacked out was Elia's beautiful face staring down at him, her voice forming words before everything went dark.

Ω

 **And we have arrived! We will be going back to Elia's perspective next and dealing with the fallout of Jaime and Elia's plan and escape to Dorne. Doran and Oberyn will be in the next chapter. Don't forget to review!**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Elia

"Jaime!" Elia exclaimed as the blonde landed in a boneless heap by the side of the horse.

She hurried over and knelt down next to him, pushing his golden hair back from his forehead and feeling the skin there before retracting her fingers with a hiss. He was burning up with fever and his hair was damp from it.

The guards upon seeing the collapse of the knight raced the rest of the way into the lower dome like tower.

Using all of her strength, she gently rolled Jaime over and could see that his eyes were closed and his breathing was slightly laboured.

She glanced down at his bound up hand and cringed slightly to herself. There was no way she wanted to look at that right now.

The blood from the wound in his shoulder had been slowly bleeding through the bandage all that day and Elia didn't want to know how much had been lost in their desperate journey to Sunspear.

She quickly sent up a prayer to the Mother for mercy on Jaime's life. _Please help him. There is no way my children and I would have made it to safety if it hadn't been for him.  
_

"Elia!"

At the sharp but familiar voice the Dornish princess looked up as if she had been shocked with electricity.

It was then that she saw the most welcome face she had seen in weeks.

Doran Martell was being wheeled toward her by the captain of his guards Areo Hotah. He appeared older than the last time she had seen him which was four years ago and there was the beginnings of slight grey hair around his temples. The lines in his face were deeper but his eyes were still the same stern dark orbs she remembered before she had bid him farewell what seemed like a lifetime ago. His hair was hanging lustrous and glossy about his face and he was wearing the burnt orange and yellow colors of his house in a long tunic which was open at the neck to absorb some of the breeze coming in off the sea.

He was staring at her in shock as if she were a ghost long dead and Elia realized with a jolt that he must have received word from the capital by now of their terrible demise. It had been weeks since King's Landing had fallen to the Lannisters and messages must have been flying back and forth about what Tywin Lannister had done to the capital.

Her brother must have had no reason to think she was not dead after the treachery of the lions. She had never seen him as shocked before as he was now. Doran was a man who was always coolly in control of his surroundings and his emotions. He was a brilliant and shrewd man who had always possessed no small amount of cunning. In fact it seremed as if his mind made up for the fact that he could not use his legs as well as he would like.

He had always ensured that she was taken care of and because the lines in his face were deeper, she sensed that he had gone through a period of grief when he learned of her supposed death.

But here she was whole and standing before him with her children beside her who were also unharmed.

It must have been like a dream come true.

"Doran," she whispered all of her emotions beginning to burst forth inside of her like a well that had been plugged for too long.

All of the weeks of travel and terror of someone seeing them and recognizing them and then the worry for the last several hours about Jaime and what they were going to do if he died came over her like a wave.

She swayed slightly and instantly Doran was beside her in his chair, arms reaching for her. She all but fell into them as if they were the only thing holding her upright and began to weep.

Her shoulders were shaking with sobs as she allowed the weeks of grief and terror and anger to wash over her.

Doran said nothing but gently rubbed her back slowly as he had done when she was still a child. He was ten years older than she was and had often been more of a parent to her than the mother she remembered only distantly.

Though he had often held her in a reserved manner because of his duties as Prince of Dorne and Lord of Sunspear and the Sandship, he had never been this liberal in his affection for her. It was a testament to how glad he was to see her that he was allowing his guard to drop in this way.

"Hush now it's alright," he said in her ear in his low gruff voice. "You're safe now."

She nodded but continued to weep for a few moments longer until she had cried out all of the tears she could in that moment.

She would probably cry again later though.

With a great effort she managed to push herself back so she could look into Doran's eyes that were still searching hers with shock and wonder.

"How Elia?" he asked softly. "How are you here? We received word weeks ago that the capital had fallen. Word that the Lannisters had betrayed the king and sided with the rebels…word that you were dead."

Elia shook her head. "It was all a ruse brother. A very elaborate ruse that was set up by Lord Varys who helped orchestrate our escape."

She glanced back at some of the attendants that had come with Doran who were hurriedly attending to Ser Jaime and lifting him onto a cot so they might bring him into the palace. "Please be careful."

"Yes my lady," one of them said.

Doran's eyes widened slightly as the litter bearing Jaime Lannister hurried past into the palace. "Is this not Tywin Lannister's eldest son and heir?"

"Yes it is," Elia said. Her tone hardened when she said her next word. "And he has proven to be the only loyal Lannister in his entire treacherous family. As soon as word came that the lions were sacking the capital Ser Jaime ran to find me and Aegon and Rhaenys so that he might escape before they arrived at the keep."

Doran jerked slightly at the mention of his niece and nephew and looked around Elia to see the twins holding hands and looking about the courtyard of the palace with wide eyes.

A strange emotion seemed to pass like a shadow over his face before it disappeared and his jaw worked for a moment before he was able to speak again. "They're here, and they are both safe."

Elia managed a smile. "Aye, they are tired and scared and perhaps a bit hungry and thirsty but they are here and they are unharmed.

Doran muttered something under his breath that sounded almost like a prayer or perhaps a sarcastic oath before looking back at her. "How did you escape?"

Elia sighed, a wave of fatigue coming on her then and her brother seemed to notice for he gave her a sharp nod. "That is something that can wait. Come you are exhausted and hungry and could do with a rest and some food."

Elia nodded, those two words sounding better than anything she had heard in her entire life. She turned back to the twins. "Come sweetlings."

The both of them paused for a moment, looking warily at Doran as he was a stranger to them.

Elia beckoned again. "Come here Aegon, Rhaenys. I want to introduce you to your uncle. This is Prince Doran Martell, the Lord of Sunspear and the Sandship."

Still holding hands the twins walked closer and peered curiously up at Doran who was watching them with solemn but slightly amused eyes.

"You're our uncle?" Aegon asked finally. "Mama said we were going to meet you."

"Yes Aegon I am," Doran Martell replied. "And I am very pleased to welcome you and your sister to Sunspear. Are you hungry? You look hungry."

Aegon nodded eagerly and Rhaenys paused for a moment before nodding too.

"Well come inside then," Doran said. "And we'll get you something to eat."

Without even thinking about it, Elia took her children's hands and Areo Hotah took the handles of her brother's chair to push him back inside.

"It is very good to see you again my lady," Hotah said quietly to the princess and she smiled at him. "And you Areo. It is very good to be home."

Ω

After the twins had been given something to eat, Elia placed them in the nursery with their cousin Arianne who was the same age as the twins. Her brother's first son Quentyn was two and several months earlier, her brother's third child Trystane was still a babe in arms.

Their mother Mellario tearfully greeted her goodsister which Elia returned in full force before giving her a brief rundown of the story of how they had escaped and then slipping out to sup with her brother who wished to see her immediately.

She found him sitting on the throne of the sun in the long domed hall where he received guests which overlooked the Water Gardens a plate of food on a table beside him along with two goblets of wine.

Elia nodded at Areo who was standing several feet away from him and then all but slumped into the chair beside her brother and closed her eyes, breathing deeply of the sweet fresh air that was coming in off the ocean.

She was home….she could hardly believe it.

After weeks of traveling, hiding running, she was back in Sunspear, the city of her birth and the place she had longed to go to years.

 _I need to check on Jaime as soon as I finish with Doran,_ she thought to herself. _The maester is in with him now and I know Doran will have sent for Ellaria…I just hope its not too late. I don't want to know how he would react to the knowledge of losing his hand, perhaps even losing a few fingers of his right hand._

Doran waited until she had eaten her fill of the plate and drunk her fill of the wine before he began to speak.

"If you would please fill me in on this plan of Lord Varys sweet sister and how he and Ser Jaime aided in your escape from the capital?"

Elia nodded. "As soon as it was revealed that the Lannisters were sacking the capital, Ser Jaime ran to find me and the twins and brought me to the throne room where Lord Varys was waiting. It was then that we came into contact with a rather large pile of ashes. Apparently it was those of the king."

Doran raised an eyebrow. "Apparently?"

Elia shrugged. "Lord Varys told us that he had entered the throne room just in time to see a pyre in the center of the room burning and apparently the king had tied himself to the stake. He was screaming something about how he wouldn't let anyone take his head and that he would give himself over to the flames."

As she said the words an odd feeling entered the pit of her stomach. She didn't know what had happened in that throne room but she had a feeling that Varys wasn't being entirely truthful about it. But she had also decided that it didn't matter in the slightest. Aerys was dead and that was the only thing that counted.

Doran cursed under his breath. "The man truly was mad then. As mad as Aerion Targaryen was."

"So it would seem," Elia muttered taking a sip of her wine.

"And then what happened?"

"Lord Varys led us to the door that led down into the Black Cells so we would be hidden when the Lannister army came charging into the keep. Fortunately there were no prisoners in the cells at the time so it was very quiet. After about twenty minutes of walking we reached another door in which Varys told us would lead to a passage that went beneath the city and opened up into a building in the Street of Steel. From there we made our plans."

"And what plans were those?" Doran asked. "Does Lord Tywin Lannister know his firstborn son and heir is here?"

Elia smirked at her brother. "Not in the slightest. That was part of our plan. Before we left, Varys took Ser Jaime's sword, a proper blade made in the Westerlands so that he could scorch it and make it appear as if Ser Jaime perished in a fire of some sort. People will say that the lion of Lannister died faithfully serving his king."

Doran nodded, rubbing the side of his face wryly. "A simple but efficient plan. And how will they explain away your absence?"

"Lord Varys had decoys put in place for myself, Aegon and Rhaenys. I don't know who the poor souls were that took our place but they died for us and I will never forget that. To the rest of the realm the four of us who came here are dead."

Doran nodded for a long moment. "And how did you make your escape?"

"The passage that we traveled from courtesy of Lord Varys led us to a blacksmith's shop in the Street of Steel where one of Varys' little birds was waiting to open the door for us. Fortunately it was there that Ser Jaime was able to discard his white cloak and we made it into a sling so I could carry Aegon and Rhaenys. Jaime was able to discard his Kingsguard armor as well and give it to the little boy to carry back to Varys so it could be scorched. From there he found some plain armor hanging on nails in the shop, took another sword and we left. It was…tense getting to the Mud Gate, but we made it in the end and then just kept riding and didn't look back."

Doran nodded. "And after weeks of travel and exhaustion and fear you have arrived. And with the son of the man who has insulted and belittled our family time and time again…interesting."

Elia narrowed her eyes at her brother. "You shouldn't say things like that. Jaime is nothing like his father. He has been the only true friend I have had in the capital these past four years."

Doran looked at her so closely then that she began to feel uncomfortable and blushed, staring down at her knotted hands.

"Indeed," her brother said after a moment and Elia got a feeling that his words meant more than simply for this present situation. "But you need not worry about him. He has done a great service to House Martell and it will not be forgotten."

Elia sighed. "I hope not. He seems to be in a bad way right now. I hope the infection hasn't spread too far."

She went on to tell her brother a little more about their near brush with death by thieves in the oasis the night before and saw her brother's hands tighten on the armrests of his chair in rage. He relaxed slightly when Elia imparted that Jaime had managed to fight most of them off even though they had made off with one of the horses.

"Ser Jaime insisted that he would walk and I would take the horse and thus we walked the rest of the way to Sunspear," Elia finished. "I bound up his hand and shoulder as best I could but that was all I could do. I worry because one of the men had a knife that was coated in some sort of poison and Jaime's hand got in the way of one of its blows. And thus that seemed to bring on the infection. I hope he won't lose his hand and the maester can save it."

"I wouldn't worry too much sister," Doran said. "The wound occurred not too long from Sunspear. If you had been more than two days ride from the capital of Dorne then I would be concerned. However Maester Myles is a skilled man. And Ellaria is the most knowledgeable person about poisons I would argue in all of the south of Westeros. She will know what to do."

"Where is Oberyn?" Elia asked. "I had expected him to be here when we arrived but upon seeing you I nearly fell to pieces."

Doran gave her a slight grim smile. "After we received news about the death of Rhaegar and Uncle Lewyn at the Trident, Oberyn mustered whatever forces there were in Dorne and left during the night to march for the capital. I don't know when he arrived as I have received no letters from him but I hope he will be back soon."

Elia sighed. "I wonder how we could have missed him then."

Doran shrugged. "Perhaps it was simply bad timing."

"Maybe," Elia replied.

"He will be home soon sister," Doran said in the gentle voice he normally used when he was trying to calm her. "Our family will be whole and together again soon."

"I know," Elia said with a sigh. "I know. And it is good to be home. I feel as if I've been looking over my shoulder not only for weeks but since I came to the capital four years ago. Aegon and Rhaenys are safe. They will not have to worry about some dog of Tywin Lannister beating down their door to get rid of the last heirs to the Targaryen throne."

Doran's eyes narrowed slightly at the mention of Tywin Lannister. "I certainly hope the old lion believes this ruse of his son's death. Otherwise this entire scheme will have fallen apart.

"If we are dead, then what possible reason could he have for thinking that his son is alive and in Dorne?" Elia countered. "Even if he didn't believe that Jaime was dead, never in a million years would he think to look here."

"I hope your optimism is warranted sister," Doran said grimly. "I have no wish to draw Dorne into a fight against the rest of the Seven Kingdoms."

"It won't happen," Elia said vehemently. "And Jaime cannot go back even if it is discovered that he is alive. He has committed treason in the eyes of the new king. At best he might be able to hope for the Wall and at worst he will be put to death. I _won't_ let that happen."

Doran raised an eyebrow at her again and she bristled slightly, knowing she had said too much, let too much of her feelings show.

"But it won't come to that," she said quickly. "I don't think the armies of either side wish to continue this fight. The realm has bled enough and Baratheon has won the throne. What more does he want?"

"Aye," Doran said grimly. "The realm has bled enough. I have not forgotten the death of Lewyn Martell. He will be avenged."

Elia felt another wave of grief at the mention of her beloved uncle and closed her eyes for a moment. "He will not be forgotten."

"Nay, nor will the fact that he died in service to an unfaithful prince who could not keep his hands off another man's betrothed."

Elia bristled again. She didn't want to think about Rhaegar and how his sins and those of Lyanna Stark had cost the realm the Warden of the North, his heir, the heir to the Vale and so many more. She had nearly lost her life along with the lives of her children and it had all been because of one man who thought he was above reproach and that some sort of damned prophecy was going to be the solution to the uniting of the realm.

Rhaegar Targaryen was an idiot and Lyanna Stark was a fool.

Doran peered closely at his sister as they sat looking down into the Water Gardens. "Not that it matters sister…but do you know why Rhaegar ran off with the Stark girl?"  
Elia sighed. "This will go no further than this room Doran."

"Of course."

"He had become obsessed with a certain prophecy, one about a prince that was promised. He was convinced such an heir would come from his own line and I recall a phrase having something to do with ice and fire. He obviously thought himself the fire but I would not be the ice, he needed to find someone who would supplement that phrase. Apparently Lyanna Stark was the most obvious choice."

Doran's brow had furrowed which meant he was confused, something that didn't happen often. "All of this was because of a prophecy?"

Elia uttered a bitter laugh. "Rhaegar may not have had Aerys insanity but he was cruel in his indifference and opinions nonetheless. He thought he was right and there was nothing that was going to dissuade him from his it. I saw in it in his eyes after the tourney at Harrenhal. There was a sort of triumph there that said he had completed a step in his plan. The details of that plan are still fuzzy to me, but not long after the tourney, Lyanna disappeared and the rest you know."

"Aye and now we are dealing with the fallout. A realm that has been broken apart by one man's greed and ambition, a stag who now sits upon a throne that was never his to begin with and a wolf and a falcon who helped to get him there. Storm's End is still being besieged by Mace Tyrell, the only other Targaryen loyalist and the Tullys plot in their famous hall."

"And the dragons are dead," Elia finished for him somewhat bleakly.

"Not all of them," Doran said with the beginnings of a smile on his face. "Aegon and Rhaenys are still here."

She smiled back at him. "So they are. And as long as they live and no one knows about it, we can use that to our advantage."

"Scheming already sister?"

Elia smiled at him. "Well now that I have had a moment to eat and rest and the twins are asleep in nursery, the future is calling and we need to decide how we are going to meet it."

"I could not have said it better myself," Doran replied. "However we will revisit this conversation when Oberyn returns. He will no doubt be here in the next few days and news of your survival will be a great joy to him."

"I am eager to see him," Elia agreed. "However it is imperative that no one knows that my children and I are alive. No one outside this palace knows but Lord Varys and those two guards at the gate will have to be sworn into silence."

"I have already spoken with them," Doran said in a flinty voice. "And they know that if they are to even reveal the information of your presence here there is nowhere in the Seven Hells that that would allow them a place to escape my wrath."

Elia raised an eyebrow but chuckled her older brother who very rarely had a flare for the dramatic.

"Good," she said some of her anxiety abating somewhat. "Is there any other news from the capital? Ser Jaime and I have been traveling for weeks and other than a pair of merchants we met on the road who offered us safety temporarily, we have heard nothing. They did not know who we are if that is to be your next question."

Doran nodded sharply. "It was but now you have answered it. There has been indeed some news that should be shared. In the weeks of your escape, Robert Baratheon recovered from his wounds and rode to the capital to claim the throne. My spies in the city have informed me that in…gratitude….to the Lannisters for the service they performed for him in wiping out any other claimants to the throne, Baratheon has married Cersei Lannister."

Elia's eyes narrowed. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. Even when we were children that girl has always wanted to be a queen. I remember the time we visited the witch in the forests around Casterly Rock who told her that she would be a queen someday. She's never forgotten it. And now she is married to the man who stole my son's throne from him."

"We will take it back sister," Doran said patting her hand. "It may not be for a while yet. But we will take the throne back for Aegon. And if that means that we must topple Baratheon's ass from it than we shall do so."

Elia suddenly burst out laughing. Gods but it felt good to laugh, she felt as if she hadn't laughed for weeks, months even. Every bit of energy had been poured into maintaining a façade, keeping herself and her children safe, staving off grief and rage and then running for her life from the capital.

It felt good to smile and laugh again.

And then she remembered Jaime who was still in critical condition sequestered with the maester and Ellaria Sand in one of the guest chambers and she sobered slightly.

"Has there been any other news?" she asked.

Doran appeared to think for a moment and then his dark eyes brightened. "There was one bright spot in all of the dark that I learned from one of my spies in Essos. It seems that Queen Rhaella Targaryen and her son Prince Viserys have made it safely to Essos and have been received by a Magister Illyrio Mopatis, apparently a friend of Lord Varys if my reports are correct."

Elia all but sagged with relief. She had worried every day for her good mother who had been heavily pregnant when she had left with the King's third child. Aerys had sent them away from the keep to ensure their safety after Rhaegar fell at the Trident. She had received no messages from them since their departure and the silence had been driving her insane.

"And the child she carries?" she asked.

Doran smiled at her. "You will be pleased to know sister that she gave birth to not one child, but two. A boy and a girl whom I have it on good authority that she has named Prince Daeron and Princess Daenerys."

Elia almost wept with happiness at the news. Even before she had married Rhaegar, Rhaella had had such problems conceiving and carrying her children to term that the older woman had muttered to her that she must have been cursed by the gods.

And now though she had lost one son in battle she had gained two more, a son and a daughter.

"Wonderful," she said softly. "I was so worried for her when she left. "And are the new prince and princess well?"

"From what I have heard they are," Doran said kindly. "And this means that the Targaryen line is not dead sister. There are still those who draw breath who can carry it on."

Elia smiled again, this time the genuine thing that made her face appear like sunshine once more. "I know. Thankfully it appears that those residents of the red keep have survived this conflict relatively unscathed. Aerys and Rhaegar were the only ones to play the game and lose."

"Indeed," Doran muttered. "But we shall hardly miss their presence."

 _She won't miss Aerys,_ Elia said sadly, thinking of her good mother's reaction to Rhaegar's death. _But Rhaegar was still her son despite his sins. And she did love him. She will mourn his passing for the rest of her life._

"I wish I could see my new good brother and good sister," she murmured. "Rhaella has always loved children and the knowledge that she now has three will be good for her soul. They will help her heal."

"Indeed," Doran concurred. "And perhaps you will see them sister. We simply need to wait for the realm to be put back in some semblance of order after the war before we can move about more freely."

"Unless it is to go to the Free Cities, I will never be able to leave Sunspear," Elia said. "And while that sounds like heaven now, I have no wish to look over my shoulder for the rest of my life. Suppose the new king has spies in Dorne and those spies tell him that those who died in the Red Keep were decoys and that the real Prince Aegon and Princess Rhaenys are living in secret in Sunspear. Would he not denounce you for a traitor and take up arms against Dorne?"

"There is a possibility of that," Doran said grimly. "But I would rather war then the alternative."

"We cannot hold back the rest of the realm should the new king choose to march south," Elia protested. "I will not have Sunspear razed to the ground knowing there was something I could have done to prevent it."

Doran was quiet for a long moment. "As of this moment, I cannot see Baratheon doing that. The realm has bled enough and there are those that weary of conflict and are suing for peace. The siege at Storm's End has been broken and the Tyrells have agreed to bend the knee to Robert Baratheon. Peace will come forcibly rather than naturally."

Elia sighed. "But that doesn't mean that this isn't something to consider for the future. While I love Dorne and Sunspear, I do not wish to be a prisoner in my own home for the rest of my life, constantly looking over my shoulder and wondering whether or not one day a letter will come from the king demanding my head and the heads of the twins. I will not risk that Doran."

"I know," he said somewhat gently, reaching over and taking her hand. "And you will not have to. You and I and Oberyn will come up with a plan, whether that is for you to stay here or to go perhaps to the Free Cities where you may sink into anonymity."

The sound of footsteps cut off what Elia was about to say next and she and her brother looked up to see the maester hurrying towards them.

The man skidded to a stop in front of the prince and princess of Dorne and gave them a swift bow. "My prince, my princess."

"Maester Myles, what news?" Elia asked. "How is Ser Jaime?"

"Stable my lady," the maester replied.

Elia could see the sheen of sweat on the man's forehead and could tell he had laboured over the blonde for a long time.

"I sense there is a _but_ coming Myles," Doran said. "Continue."

"Fortunately the infection had not spread to the rest of his hand my prince," the maester continued. "However I did have to remove two of the fingers on his right hand and cauterize the stumps. The rest of the infection in his hand was leeched out by lady Ellaria."

Elia grimaced, wondering how Jaime would take the loss of his fingers. He was a knight and his right hand was his sword hand. He would need to learn to do things differently without them.

"Thank you maester," she said. "And the wound in his shoulder?"

"That should heal with no problems my lady," the maester replied. "He is asleep now but I will count that towards, dehydration exhaustion and blood loss. He also suffered a blow to his head from the ensuing fight that I am concerned about. Did he mention it to you?"

"No," Elia said in alarm half rising from her chair. "He didn't say a word. Will he be alright?"

"I hope so my lady. Physical wounds have a method in which to heal, but head injuries are tricky. At best he may have a bruised skull and at worst there could be permanent damage. However his skull is intact which gives me hope."

"Thank you maester," Doran spoke up then. "Please inform me when Ser Jaime Lannister awakens. And I do not think I need to remind you of what would happen if someone were to become aware of my sister's and Ser Jaime's presence here do I?"

The maester swallowed hard. "No my prince."

"Good. See that you repeat that message to anyone who has seen my sister and Ser Jaime here."

"Yes my prince."

Doran nodded and then waved him away. Elia watched for a moment as Myles hurried back down the corridor away from the throne room and back into the tower.

She closed her eyes and exhaled deeply before leaning back in her chair and shooting up a silent prayer to the Mother for mercy. _Please don't take him away….not Jaime…not yet. I….We…need him. I never would have made it here if it hadn't been for him and now he's lost two of the fingers on his sword hand, been stabbed through the shoulder and is suffering from a blow to the head. If he dies….then there truly is no justice in this world.  
_

As she prayed, hot tears formed at the corners of her eyes and pushed their way from under her lids, stinging her cheeks as they slid down her face. Elia took a few deep breaths in an effort to calm herself as silently as possible but it wasn't long before she became aware of Doran's eyes on her face.

She knew she was allowing too much of her emotions to show but at the moment she couldn't help herself. Surely she could be excused for feeling emotional after the journey and harrowing experience that she had just been through. Her brother couldn't fault her for being worried that her rescuers life might be hanging in the balance.

After a moment she noticed out of the corner of her eye that Doran had turned back to look out over the Water Gardens once more which were growing dark and candles were being lit to signal that the night was drawing on.

Silently breathing a sigh of relief Elia reached down for the handkerchief that was resting beside her plate and dabbed at her eyes.

"This is not the end," Doran said calmly and she looked at him confusion. He wasn't looking at her but looking out over the Water Gardens with his usual stoic expression.

It took her a moment to realize that his meaning of the statement was twofold. This was not the end for Jaime, nor would it be the end for her and her children and thus the Targaryen dynasty.

Nothing was going to end, rather it would begin again.

"I know," she whispered. "I know."

Ω

The following morning after Doran had insisted that she rest about the harrowing journey she had been through and she had checked on the twins who were sleeping soundly in the nursery with Mellario watching over them, Elia calmly slipped into the guest chambers where Ser Jaime was being tended to.

She had run into Maester Myles in the hallway and he had informed her that Jaime was still unconscious but he was breathing deeply so that unconscious state should turn to sleep sometime in the night.

 _"He needs to recover the blood he lost from his wounds my lady," Myles had told her. "The lack of blood aids in his comatose state and the head injury didn't help. His fever from the infection has broken however. Now it is only a matter of time as to when he wakes and how extensive the mental damages to his brain are."_

Elia had thanked the Maester and stepped into the room to find Ellaria who was blowing out the candle as the early morning rays of the sun crept into the room from the balcony.

The guest chambers Jaime had been put in were on the eastern side of the palace overlooking the sea and had a nice breeze blowing through the floor-length curtains that separated the balcony from the room.

Ellaria looked up from her task and gave Elia a bright smile upon seeing her and she hurried over to embrace her.

"Words cannot express how happy I am to see you," she said softly and Elia smiled at her brother's paramour. Ellaria was no doubt a deadly woman whose skill and knowledge with potions were not to be refuted but Elia had become good friends with the woman since she had been here for the last few years.

In those few years, Oberyn had brought home two bastard daughters, one from Volantis and one from right here in Dorne but Ellaria had never cared that those daughters didn't come from her. She had given Oberyn a daughter soon after however, Tyene Sand and the three girls had become great playmates running about the Water Gardens.

No doubt her children would soon join them.

"I am very glad to be home Ellaria," Elia replied returning the hug. "The last few weeks have been harrowing for me and the twins. But we have come through it alive and are not stronger for it."

"I should say so," Ellaria commented before casting her eyes towards the knight that was lying in the bed.

"How is he?" Elia asked.

"Stable," Ellaria sighed. "It was lucky you got here when you did otherwise the poison might have gone all the way through his hand and we would have been forced to remove it instead of just the two fingers. As it was, I am amazed we have only had to remove the two and not anymore."

"I can thank the gods for that," Elia muttered. "Even two fingers off of Jaime's sword hand will be a blow to him."

Ellaria frowned at her slightly at the informal use of the knight's name. "It's not my place to ask Elia but….what is your relation to Ser Jaime, beyond the fact that he served you as a member of the Kingsguard?"

Elia narrowed her eyes at her brother's paramour. "The only relation to be had is the one you just uttered. Why do you ask?"

Ellaria looked at her carefully. "Because when he fell into a fevered sleep because of the infection, he said something in it. The maester didn't hear it thank the gods…but I did."

This was most strange. "Well, what did he say?"

Ellaria looked even more cautious at this point, an emotion Elia had never seen on the normally confident and virile woman. "He said….He said you name."

Elia just stared at her. "What?"

To her undying embarrassment, she could feel her cheeks beginning to heat and thanked the gods for her olive complexion and that the room was still dim from the rising sun. She cast her eyes towards the blonde who was lying on the bed, wishing to all the gods that she was able to see into his head in that moment and know what he had been thinking when he said that foolishness.

"He did?" she asked somewhat faintly.

"Aye, he did," Ellaria concurred, looking at the princess's face carefully as if to find some mental chink in her cautiously constructed façade. "Why would he have said that Elia?"

Rhaegar's widow narrowed her eyes slightly at her brother's paramour. "Are you accusing me of something Ellaria?"

"I would not presume so much. But it is obvious at least from this that this knight feels something for you beyond a mere loyalty to the royal family which you were a part of."

Ellaria cast her eyes back to Jaime lying asleep on the bed and a small smirk decorated her beautiful face. She had the sultry dark good looks of a woman who was the epitome of confidence and danger.

Elia could see why Oberyn liked her.

"It's not like I would blame you if you were tempted to stray," she said. "He is quite stunning isn't he? They say that Rhaegar Targaryen was the most beautiful man in the Seven Kingdoms but Ser Jaime is every inch the golden lion. I can see any number of women in the realm wishing to be on their backs for him."

Elia bristled slightly at the thought of _that._ An odd burning sensation filled her chest that she did not understand and with an effort she pushed it back.

Ellaria continued. "But, in my humble opinion there is only one woman he would want. After all it wasn't just any woman's name that he called out."

She couldn't deal with this right now. They had barely been back in Dorne a day and Jaime was still in medical danger, the last thing she needed to hear was the knowledge that he had called her name in his fevered dreams.

 _Her_ name.

No one else's.

And so Elia ignored the fluttering her in her heart that this knowledge gave her and instead turned to something she did know how to do. Lie.

"I don't know why he would say my name," she said calmly. "We were on the road for many days and it was deeply stressful and anxiety inducing. Perhaps in his dreams we were still on the road and still being threatened."

Ellaria looked at her for a long time and the princess could tell that the poison mistress didn't believe a word of what she said.

But she had the decency not to call her on it and simply nodded. "Very well."

Elia took the opportunity to quickly change the subject. "Do you have any idea of when he will awaken?"

Ellaria shook her head. "Not yet. He has not moved positions since the fever broke but he might awaken at any time. It depends on how extensive the blow he took to his head was. Maester Myles I am sure told you that head injuries are tricky and I have seen men in the past who have fallen into a deep sleep after sustaining a blow awaken days later. But I have also seen men who have brushed off such blows only to drop dead."

Cold tendrils of fear worked their way up and down Elia's spine but she fought to keep such reactions from her face.

"So in other words we need to wait?"

"We need to wait."

She took a deep breath. "Very well. Thank you Ellaria."

The other woman nodded before slipping out of the room and leaving the Dornish princess alone with the blonde knight who was still lying motionless in the bed.

Elia looked at him for a moment before going softly across the room and dragging one of the chairs by the writing desk in the corner over to the bed.

From this vantage point it appeared as if Ser Jaime was merely sleeping. His chest was rising and falling slightly as he breathed in and out. He had been stripped to the waist and she could see the thick bandage wrapped around his shoulder where he had received the deep stab wound from the blade of the thief earlier. His hand was bandaged also and she could not see any of the fingers poking through it, it merely looked like a large white lump among the sheets.

 _I would imagine that this is what snow looks like,_ she thought to herself absently as she looked at it.

She cast her eyes over the rest of his form and grimaced quietly to herself when she remembered Ellaria's words. That woman had a way of getting straight to the damn point just like her brother and it was annoying as her brother itself.

But it wasn't as if she didn't understand the sentiment. Ser Jaime was beautiful to behold even while suffering from injuries and bandaged and missing two fingers. Rhaegar had been a beautiful man, but he was all the marble complexities of an angel without anyone knowing his mind or heart. She had been in love with a statue.

If she were to compare the two men, Elia would say they possessed a very different sort of outward beauty.

But where Rhaegar was cold Jaime was warm, a warmth that she had seen throughout the last four years in the capital where he had protected her and tried to shelter her from the worst parts of King Aerys madness. He had made her smile and think about things other than her insane good father, her husband's indifference and her own homesickness. Aside from Rhaella he had been her only friend and she would be damned if she lost him now.

Elia hesitated but a moment before leaning forward and taking the lump of bandages that was the knight's hand.

"My brother's right you know," she whispered. "This isn't the end. You brought me this far and now you need to come with me the rest of the way. It's going to be a new beginning I promise, for you….and for me. But you need to wake up so you can experience it."

Jaime did not stir and she sighed before leaning back in her chair. She should go find the twins soon. The last time she had seen them was when they had broken their fast in the nursery together and Rhaenys had quietly asked her when they were going to see Ser Jaime.

She had done her best to explain to them that he wasn't feeling well and was sleeping to which Aegon demanded when he was going to wake up so that they could play.

Her son had an imperious nature that in many ways reminded her of Oberyn, gods help them both.

But both the twins cared a great deal about Jaime and this was plain to see when they all but demanded to see him.

 _"They're very fond of this knight aren't they?" Mellario had asked to her in an aside when the twins were once more preoccupied with Arianne and Quentyn.  
_

 _"Yes," Elia said with a smile. "Ser Jaime was really the only member of the Kingsguard who paid much attention to them."  
_

 _"What about their father?" Mellario asked and Elia did her best not to bristle at the mention of his name. It was over, he was dead and his indifference would never hurt her_ _or her children again. "Rhaegar wasn't much for playing."_

She would go to see to them in a moment and perhaps bring them here to see Jaime.

Aegon seemed to have adjusted to Dorne quite well and had been laughing and playing with Arianne and Quentyn, the stress of their weeks long journey no more affecting him than rain would affect afternoon play.

However it was Rhaenys she was concerned about. Her daughter had been very quiet and had hardly smiled since they had arrived, preferring to sit quietly and watch her brother and cousins play.

The only time she had seen Rhaenys smile was when Quentyn had splashed Arianne with water from the fountain in the Water Gardens and they had both fallen into it laughing.

Since then, no grin had found its way onto her sweet face.

Elia had a few ideas of how to bring it back however. One of Rhaenys' favorite friends in the capital besides her brother and Ser Jaime had been her black cat Balerion. It had a slightly torn ear and was a rather mangy sort of cat but it had been fiercely protective of Rhaenys and they had been forced to leave him behind when they had fled the capital.

The princess knew her daughter missed him and was looking into several idea for getting her daughter another one. It wouldn't be the same as Balerion but perhaps it would make her smile again.

She glanced back down at Jaime and curled her fingers more tightly around the lump of bandages that was Jaime's hand.

"I hope you know that you have turned Dorne on its head Jaime," she murmured. "I can tell Doran is scheming already and the fact that he now has the heir to the Westerlands in Sunspear is not something that happens every day. He is going to make the most of your presence when he wakes up. And the fact that you now cannot return to Casterly Rock as your father has presumed you dead is something he is going to take advantage of. I simply felt I should warn you."

That was a bit of an understatement, she could practically see the wheels turning in Doran's mind at the possibilities of Jaime's presence and how this was going to benefit the Dornish caused.

Elia knew for a fact that her brother had already begun scheming for ways to tear down the Usurper from Aegon's throne. Now that all the remaining Targaryens save Rhaegar and Aerys had escaped Westeros relatively unscathed they might be able to move ahead with their plans to do just that.

Other than her family, her faith in the Seven was the one thing Elia counted on and she made a mental note to go to the sept in Sunspear soon so she could offer up a prayer of gratitude for their arrival in Sunspear and to plead once more to the Mother for Jaime's life.

She was now more convinced that he would pull through after Ellaria and the maester had seen him but until he opened his eyes and spoke to her, there would always be a tiny bit of doubt in her mind.

She glanced up at the face of the knight and wondered what was going on behind his eyes. He appeared very peaceful and she grimaced, knowing this would have been the first time in the last few weeks when he would have had the opportunity to truly rest. He had stayed up until all hours of the night guarding them and would only catch an hour or two just before dawn. His eyes had appeared like red embers of burning coals in his face at time and Elia winced, knowing that he had pushed himself to his physical limits for them….for her…

 _But in my humble opinion there is only one woman he would want….after all it wasn't just any woman's name that he called out…._

Elia jerked slightly and then shook herself. She couldn't focus on that right now, no matter how the words made her heart flutter or her cheeks heat. Besides, she was convinced he must have been dreaming when he had said the word.

He couldn't…He couldn't mean what she thought, what maybe she secretly hoped he might mean.

When had this become so complicated?

She leaned back in her chair, sighing deeply but still keeping a hold of Jaime's bandaged hand. This was information that she didn't need right now, not when she was still dealing with the aftermath of the war, her uncle's death, Rhaegar's betrayal and the knowledge that she was finally safe.

She glanced back at Jaime then. "You said you made a promise. But was that really all there was? You've gone above and beyond the duty of a Kingsguard and a part of me cannot help but wonder…why? Do you take your oaths that seriously….or is it something more?"

Elia didn't finish this quiet line of thought as she was scared to follow where it led and what the answers might be.

Instead, she simply focused on holding Jaime's hand, humming quietly to herself. It was a lullaby she had sung to Rhaenys when she was younger and had had a nightmare, something her own mother had sung to her.

There were times when she deeply missed Meria Martell. _If I had another daughter than I would certainly wish to name her Meria. I always thought it was a beautiful name._

 _But my children have the names of their father's ancestors. If Rhaegar had lived and not run off with the Stark girl, then the next child I might have had with him would have been named Visenya. And then there would have been his thrice damned prophecy! He wanted the conquerors come again and the only reward for his efforts has been his own death._

It was well deserved in her opinion and then felt a stab of guilt. No matter what he had done, Rhaegar had still given her the twins and that was something that could not be overlooked. She could not imagine her life without them and he had been the one to give them to her.

Despite everything that had happened that one thing remained true.

 _How can I love Queen Rhaella but hate her son?_ Elia thought to herself. _Besides Jaime my good mother was the only bright spot about my time in the capital. And she is now safe but in Essos where she will be able to recover from this war and her husband's madness. I miss her…I didn't realize how much until now._

She glanced out the window and faintly heard the ocean in the distance, the gentle roar of the waves as they slammed into the shore and the steady breeze brushed the curtains on the windows of the room away, affording her a better view of the sea beyond.

Gods but it was good to be home.

Just then there was a knock on the door breaking into her solitary thoughts.

"Come," Elia called softly.

To her pleased surprise, the door opened to reveal Mellario holding Aegon's hand in her left and Rhaenys' in her right.

"I hope I'm not interrupting," her good sister said softly as she cast her eyes upon the scene before her, Jaime in the bed and Elia sitting by his side.

Elia immediately took her hand away from Jaime's bandaged one and smiled at her although she had a feeling that it was a bit forced. She also had a feeling that Mellario had seen their position but had tactfully said nothing.

"Not at all," she replied.

"They were asking for you," her good sister replied. "Arianne, Quentyn and Trystane have fallen asleep after some time of play, but Aegon and Rhaenys could not stop asking for Ser Jaime."

Elia smiled at them ignoring the stab of guilt she felt for not being with her children every second of the day and held out her hands. "Come here sweetlings."

Immediately, the twins' let go of Mellario's hands and ran over to her.

"Mama, we played in the fountain!" Aegon exclaimed and Elia smiled at him. "You did? Did you have a good time?"

He nodded. "But then Ari pushed Quent and he fell into the water and the servants took him away. That was when auntie Mel said it was time to go inside."

Elia cast an amused glance up at her good sister who rolled her eyes in response. "That girl is going to be the death of me. When will she learn that her brother is not a toy."

"I thought it was funny," Rhaenys said quietly.

Elia chuckled. "Don't chide her too harshly Mellario, siblings are like that. Oberyn and I would get into the worst sorts of trouble when we were younger as well."

"Ah, its just as well that Trystane wasn't there," the other woman replied. "He would not doubt be shrieking to join them. Anything his brother and sister do he wants to do as well."

"My mother often told me that Oberyn and I were like that as well," Elia replied. "We are closer in age than Doran and so have always had a more affectionate relationship. Everything he wanted to do, I wanted to do as well."

Mellario cast an eye over the blonde who was lying in the bed then and gave an odd little half smile. "So this is Ser Jaime Lannister."

"It is."

Mellario's eyes lingered on the knight for just long enough that Elia wanted to squirm. "I must say the even laid up he is stunning. The image of the Lannister lion."

Elia didn't dare agree with her however even though privately she did so. No one needed to know her thoughts on _that_ matter.

Thankfully the twins spoke up then and saved her from a possibly embarrassing encounter. "Is Jaime awake yet Mama?"

"Not yet sweetling," Elia said to Rhaenys gently who was eying the bed Jaime was lying on as if she wanted to climb up on top of it.

"When will he be awake?" Aegon demanded. "We want to play?'

"Did Ser Jaime entertain the prince and princess a lot in King's Landing?" Mellario questioned curiously.

"Not exactly," Elia said giving her children a fond smile as the two of them walked over to the bed and stood looking at Jaime. "He was responsible for going after them when they wandered off. Because he wasn't as cold and distant with them as he was the rest of the Kingsguard, they grew to like him."

"I see," Mellario said but like her husband, Elia got the feeling that she was seeing far more than she was letting on. "I should go and check on the children. Are you alright here?"

"I am."

"Good. We will speak again soon."

The moment her good sister had departed from the room, Elia breathed out a sigh of relief and turned back to the bed.

She was both surprised and concerned to see that the twins had climbed up onto the bed and were sitting on either side of Jaime looking at his sleeping face.

"What's this Mama?" Rhaenys asked pointing to the bandage wrapped around Jaime's hand.

"It's a bandage sweetling," Elia explained. "Ser Jaime hurt his hand and this bandage is going to help heal it."

"And what about this?" Aegon asked pointing to his shoulder.

"The same thing."

"I want Jaime to wake up Mama," Rhaenys said in a small voice, her lower lip trembling slightly."

Elia sighed and then sent up another prayer I know sweetling, so do I. So do I."

Ω

Sometime later, awareness slowly crept back into Elia's mind and she realized with a jolt that she had fallen asleep at the side of Jaime's bed.

She cast a quick glance over to the knight and noticed in disappointment that he had barely moved a muscle. A moment later she smiled for it appeared that Aegon and

Rhaenys had fallen asleep on either side of him, faces tucked part ways into the blanket.

 _They obviously feel comfortable enough with him in order to do this,_ she marveled to herself. _Or else they are simply extremely tired. Perhaps it's a bit of both._

She looked down and realized she had fallen asleep holding his hand and slowly let go.

After taking a moment to look around and note the position of the sun and that it was obviously midday, Elia got to her feet.

Immediately her stomach protested and she glanced down at herself in amusement. _Apparently keeping vigil at someone's bedside is enough to make one work up an appetite._

She stretched the muscles in her shoulders that had become stiff from lying in the chair for an hour and exhaled deeply.

 _I'll call for the servant to bring something for myself and the twins and then come back,_ she thought to herself. _I don't know when they'll be awake and I don't want to leave them alone for too long._

Just as she got to the door however, the sound of distant loud voices met her ears and it appeared that someone was shouting.

 _What in the name of the Seven Hells is going on?_ She thought to herself.

Elia pressed her ear to the door and listened for a moment before the tone of the person's voice broke into her consciousness and she reeled back in surprise.

"Oberyn," she whispered.

That was the only word that was uttered before she jerked the door open and was running down the corridor as fast as she could, skirts pulled up above her ankles so as not to trip her up.

The wind in the hall whistled past her ears and a servant stopped to stare but Elia couldn't care less.

The voice of Doran suddenly spoke from further down the hall. "Brother you need to calm yourself."

At this point, Elia quickly came around the corner and stood at the back of the hall and the entrance to the throne room where she was elated to see her brother standing there before the throne pacing back and forth like a caged animal.

His yellow tunic and bronzed garments were stained with dust and dirt as if he had traveled for many miles and there was mud on his boots. His dark hair was mused as if from the wind or running his hands through it and his eyes blazed with a fire she had only seen a few times in her life.

Doran was sitting calmly and passively on his throne, his hands resting at the sides of it as he listened to his brother. He was the only one to notice her slip in and a small smile appeared on his face and then disappeared with the blink of an eye.

"Calm myself?! Oberyn roared. "Our sister and her children have been torn apart at the hands of Tywin bloody Lannister and you want me to calm myself?!"

"Yes," Elia said in a strong voice as she stepped further into the throne room and nodded to Doran who nodded back. "Because things are not always as they appear brother."

Oberyn's head whipped around so fast Elia was afraid his neck would snap and almost winced in sympathy.

As her brother took her in standing there, whole and unharmed looking somewhat cross with him, his eyes widened to the point of almost falling out of his head.

"Elia," he breathed as if she were a shade come to torment him.

"Hello Oberyn," she said walking slowly over to him. "As you can see, I am standing before you, blessedly intact and without a wound on me. So you can rest assured that Tywin Lannister has not laid a hand on me, or my children."

"Your…Your children…."

"Are here as well and are currently sleeping," Elia finished for him.

Oberyn seemed almost overcome with emotion at this point and Elia decided to put him out of his misery by wrapping her arms about his neck.  
Her brother responded immediately by wrapping his arms around her so tight that she almost couldn't breathe. But she also couldn't complain because she had missed him so much. As much trouble as he got himself into and was in general he had always protected her and the fact that he hadn't been there to do so this time was obviously tearing him apart.

"How?" he whispered in her ear. "How are you alive?"

"Careful planning on the part of a spider in King's Landing," Elia whispered back and felt Oberyn's arms tighten around her for a moment before they loosened slightly.

"What?"

"It's a long story," she said. "But the most important thing is that the twins and I are here and we are safe."

"How?" Oberyn asked finally loosening his grip on her after what seemed to be a very long time.

"Ser Jaime Lannister," Elia said.

Oberyn bristled slightly, eyes narrowing somewhat. "The son of Tywin Lannister?"

Elia felt her resolve harden at the words. Oberyn had borne a grudge against the lions since the way he and Elia had been treated by the man years ago and he had never forgotten it. That grudge had no doubt only been exacerbated by what he thought had happened in King's Landing.

"Yes," she said. "And I will not allow you to judge the son based on the sins of the Father. Ser Jaime is nothing like Lord Tywin and risked life and limb to bring Aegon and

Rhaenys and myself here."

"And where is the lion hearted knight then?" Oberyn said in a somewhat disdainful manner.

It took every ounce of Elia's strength not to roll her eyes or else slap her brother for his foolishness. There were times when he disregarded everything she was saying in favor of his own bullheaded opinions. This was why she enjoyed speaking more with Doran as he was far more level headed.

"He is currently recovering from an infection from a poisoned blade that he had been stabbed with when some thugs on the road tried to steal our horses," Elia snapped. "But you wouldn't know that would you because just as always you barrel into a situation and run your mouth without knowing any of the facts. For the love of all the gods

Oberyn, you bypass the fact that I am standing before you alive and unharmed as are my children and go right to the knowledge that the man responsible for my life is a Lannister. Do you even hear yourself?!"

She paused for breath then and Doran took the opportunity to break in. "As usual our dear sister is correct Oberyn. Would you stop and think for one moment about the ramifications of your actions? Yes Ser Jaime is a Lannister, however he is the only member of the Kingsguard to have fulfilled his oaths to the royal family and brought our sister and her children here. Names and houses are not important anymore, not in light of what has happened."

"And what has happened?" Oberyn asked looking both angry and confused.

"What has happened Oberyn," Elia snapped, "is that to the rest of the realm I have been declared dead and the twins with me. Outside of Sunspear, no one knows I am still alive because Lord Varys had decoys put in place for Aegon Rhaenys and I. After which, Ser Jaime and I were given an escape route from the Red Keep to the Street of Steel and thus escaped the capital and the Lannisters who were burning it down around our ears."

Oberyn stared at his sister for a moment. "So the entire realm believes you to be dead."

"They do."

"And what of Jaime Lannister? I cannot think that the mighty Tywin would take it kindly to having his firstborn son and heir stolen from him."

Elia smirked and cast a glance at Doran who nodded at her. "That is the beauty of it Oberyn. The entire realm believes Jaime dead as well."

Her brother stared at her. "I beg your pardon?"

Quickly, Elia relayed her tale to her brother who appeared to become more and more slack jawed the more she spoke.

When she had finally finished Oberyn looked as surprised and impressed as she had ever seen him. In fact he sported an almost animalistic grin when he thought of the implications.

"And Ser Jaime is still recovering from his wounds?" he asked.

Elia sobered slightly. "He is. He hasn't awakened yet but Ellaria has told me that she and Maester Myles have had to amputate two of his fingers so that the infection wouldn't spread to the rest of his hand prompting him to lose it. They don't know when he will awaken."

Doran nodded soberly. "Houses Targaryen and Martell owe this knight great debt for the risks he went to for the royal family. Gods know where the other members of the Kingsguard were at this time."

"And so what shall we do now brother?" Oberyn asked. He had calmed some after seeing his sister and learning of her flight from the capital.

"Now we wait and watch," the Lord of Sunspear commanded. "The war may be over but the potential threats are still very real. In the coming months time will only tell how well the ruse has been taken by the rest of the realm. Contingent plans for your safety sister will need to be put in place and – "

"My lord!"

Doran looked up from the throne to see Maester Myles hurrying into the room, panting and out of breath. "What is it Myles?"

"You asked me to inform you my lord. Ser Jaime is beginning to stir!"

Ω


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Jaime

His head felt as heavy as weighted lead. Even twitching it to the right or to the left was enough to send a jolt of dizzying nausea from the top of his head to the pit of his stomach and he had to swallow hard and clench his teeth against the acidic bile that was rising in his throat.

Shutting his eyes tighter and concentrating on the intake of his breath only, he was able to stave off some of the dizziness and settle both his mind and stomach somewhat.

As soon as he had attended to the foremost of his physical problems however, then came the formation of thoughts, thoughts that passed through his brain or rather sloughed through his brain as if they had been coated in molasses and it took almost as long to think them and then process them before he could move on to the next one.

Trying to figure out where he was turned out to be an exhaustive process and he ended up tiring himself straining to hear distant sounds that in all likelihood would give him no more clues as to where he was than going back to sleep would.

But gods did he want to go back to sleep.

He was stiffer than he had ever been in his entire life and for a moment he wondered if he would ever be able to move again.

 _Stop whinging you bloody fool and open your gods damn eyes!_

He wanted to wince at how much the voice sounded like his father.

His father….the escape…the journey…Dorne….the thieves….Sunspear….making it to the Palace of the Sun….

Jaime forced his eyes open then and growled out a curse through barely parted lips. His eyes felt as if they had been crammed full of sand and then it was up to him to shake it all away.

He blinked and then cursed again. The action had taken a massive effort but between the slits of his dimmed eyes he was able to make out the silhouette of a fireplace across the room and the posts at the edge of the bed.

Jaime forced his eyes open further, groaning slightly and then managed to turn his head slightly to the left without wincing.

The light was brighter over there and he could tell it was coming from a window that had been opened to let in the sun. In fact the more he looked, he could tell it wasn't a window at all, but rather a balcony that had been lined with curtains which looked out onto a blue sky beyond.

There was the faint sound of the ocean as well and Jaime found himself straining to hear it as the sound was incredibly soothing.

There was also the sound of the crackling fire across the room not that its heat was needed but all the same, Jaime lay back on the pillow and closed his eyes letting loose a groan, more of relief than pain.

They had made it….they were safe.

Jaime vaguely recalled coming through the gates into the Palace of the Sun and taking Aegon and Rhaenys out of the sling they had been placed in on their mother's back before setting them on the ground and having the blackness had closed in around him.

After a moment he moved his right arm to brush the hair from his eyes and grimaced before growling out a curse as pain shot up his arm.

It was then that he glanced down at the right side of his body and his eyes widened in alarm.

He had been stripped to the waist in order for someone to gain access to his shoulder which he remembered had been singularly bloody from the assassins' blade and was even more so since they completed their walk to Sunspear.

His right shoulder was bandaged and in a sling so tight that he could barely move it and then he glanced down at his hand which looked more like an enormous white sheet had been wrapped around it because he could not see his fingers or any sort of form for that matter.

 _What the bloody hell is this?_ He thought in shock.

Slowly he laid his head back down on the pillow and closed his eyes, barely stifling a groan.

Thankfully the pain was gone but at the same time there was a curious numbness, in his hand especially which worried him.

Then he frowned. How long had he been asleep?

There was no one in the room and it appeared to be sometime in the morning, perhaps nearing midday which really told him nothing other than it was bloody morning.

Jaime sighed and grimaced again as his stiff muscles protested. If he was here in Sunspear then it was really true, and he along with the help of Lord Varys had pulled off one of the greatest disappearing acts the realm had ever seen.

 _At least it was all worth it,_ Jaime thought to himself and exhaled again.

Just then the door opened and the blonde found himself face to face with a man he had never seen before. He was short, in the beginning stages of losing his hair and had deep olive toned skin and dark eyes. He was wearing dark robes with numerous chains wrapped about his neck with links in them distinguishing him as a maester.

"Ah good," he said upon seeing Jaime. "You are awake. I was beginning to wonder when you began stirring. How are you feeling Ser Jaime?"

The blonde blinked for a moment. "I – "

He paused a moment and licked his lips, cringing when his voice came out sounding more rough and dry than the desert he had just crossed.

"Ah," the maester said. "One moment."

He bustled over to a small table in the corner where there was a tall decanter and as a short goblet and poured something into it. He brought the goblet over to Jaime and carefully held it to his lips.

As soon the liquid reached his mouth, he could tell it was well watered wine, something he normally might not have indulged in had he been anywhere else but in this moment it was like nectar.

He drank ever drop and then swallowed again, relieved that his throat no longer felt as if there were shards of glass being poured down it.

The maester set the glass on another table beside the bed and looked him over with a careful eye. "Now that you can speak again, how are you feeling?"

"Well….I think," Jaime said not really knowing what else to say.

"Are you experiencing any pain?" the maester asked and Jaime shook his head. "Other than feeling a certain stiffness in my muscles, there is nothing."

"Ah, that is certainly normal when you have been lying in one position for several hours."

"How long have I been asleep?" Jaime asked curiously.

"Twelve hours," the maester replied. "You had been experiencing the side effects of a fever as a result of a thief's blade that had been coated in poison.

Jaime winced, remembering the burning sensation almost immediately after the knife of that bastard had dug into the palm of his hand.

"Yes I remember that," he said.

"The rest of the symptoms causing your deep slumber consisted mainly of dehydration, exhaustion and blood loss," the maester continued. "Which is why I must insist that you continue to drink more fluids for the next several hours until the ringing in your head and perhaps the dull ache leaves."

Just then, said ache entered the back of his head and Jaime winced. "Point taken."

He glanced down at his bandaged hand and then slowly raised it to get a better look. "And what of my hand."

"Ah, yes," the maester said turning somewhat grave. "You were fortunate that we were able to save that, however we did end up having to remove two of your fingers, the smallest two in order to prevent the infection from spreading. They were beyond saving Ser Jaime. I am sorry."

The blonde stared down at his hand in shock and blinked several times in a daze.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, he was grateful that he had not lost his hand as the absence of that would have struck him far harder than any other wound he might have sustained.

The loss of his fingers was still a blow however.

Jaime felt the sudden urge to remove the bandage and look at his hand to see whether or not the image in his head was as horrifying as the one in his mind.

He felt his breath hitch just thinking about it.

 _Get a hold of yourself Lannister! It could have been far worse than it actually is. You still have your hand, you will still be able to use a sword and the infection is gone._

Just then the door opened but he was so preoccupied with wondering what in the seven hells his hand was going to look like now that he almost missed the sound of a sweet familiar voice.

"You're awake! Thank the gods!"

Jaime flinched and then looked up to find himself looking into the beautiful face and stunning golden brown eyes of Princess Elia.

She seemed a bit out of breath as if she had just been running but her eyes were fixed on him as if there was no one else in the room that mattered.

"Your grace," he said with surprise. "I didn't expect – "

He was cut off when Elia turned to the maester. "How long has he been awake Myles?"

"A few minutes only my lady," Myles replied. "His fever has broken and as long as Ser Jaime remains hydrated, I see no reason why he shouldn't make a full recovery."

"Begging your pardon maester, but I am still sitting here," Jaime said somewhat sarcastically. "You need not talk about me as if I am still asleep."

Elia blushed delicately before returning to a chair that had somehow been placed very close to his bed and seating herself upon it. "I'm sorry Jaime. You've been asleep for quite a while and I've….we've been depending solely on Maester Myles to tell us when you will awaken and what other sort of problems there might be with your….recovery."

Jaime frowned at her. "Who is we your grace?"

"My brother Prince Doran," Elia replied. "He told Maester Myles to inform him the moment you awakened and now that you have, well perhaps things can return to normal around here."

Jaime raised an eyebrow at her. "I'm afraid I don't know what normal is anymore. Normal isn't exactly losing two of your fingers, nearly dying of infection and then waking up to remember that everyone outside of this city thinks you are dead."

Elia sighed. "I know. It's confusing. But I promise we will figure out how to live like this. When you have rested and eaten something my brother would like to see you. Both of them."

Jaime barely stifled a sigh and swallowed whatever nerves had jumped to the front of his mind.

He still remembered Prince Oberyn from when the Martell siblings had come to visit Casterly Rock. The man had had such an intensity about him that it made Jaime uncomfortable and he wondered absently where the prince was.

At the somewhat uncertain look on his face, Elia guessed correctly what was putting him on edge. "My brother returned not long ago from the capital. When news had come of the fall of Rhaegar at the Trident, he mustered whatever men there were in Sunspear and marched to the capital to retrieve the twins and I. But…he was too late. We were already gone by the time he had gotten there and he received the news that what the rest of the realm believes to be myself, Aegon and Rhaenys were dead."

"I imagine he was surprised to see you standing before him here then."

Elia chuckled slightly. "More than surprised I think. It takes a lot to shock my brother and I don't think I have ever seen such a look of pure unadulterated shock on his face before. I wonder if he thought I was real at first."

Jaime nodded before frowning and looking around. "Where are the prince and princess your grace?"

"Aegon and Rhaenys were here for a while before I had a servant bring them back to the nursery," Elia explained. "They wanted to stay but when I heard that Oberyn had returned I imagine they wanted to see their uncle."

Jaime wanted to ask after their wellbeing as he knew Rhaenys had had trouble sleeping during their flight from the capital. The smoke and the screams and the flames had been overwhelming for a child of her age and she had often awakened in the middle of the night while they had been trying to snatch what sleep they could.

Jaime hadn't known what to do for her that her mother couldn't and so he had allowed Elia to soothe her daughter alone.

The past few years had shown him just how close he had become to Elia and the twins and a part of him knew they now that they were in Dorne with the brothers of the princess he would need to watch himself more carefully.

His love for Elia could not be allowed to show through. Varys had read him as easily as if he were reading a book and Jaime wondered if it was that simple to tell who his emotions were for, if anyone else had noticed as well.

He nearly shuddered at the idea of Pycelle being able to read him and then shook his head, reminding himself that the grand maester and everyone else but Varys in the keep knew him to have died with his king.

"What is it?" Elia asked. To Jaime's surprise she reached out and took his other hand, threading her fingers through his.

It took a herculean effort to keep his hand still and not curl his fingers around hers. He needed to keep their relationship as platonic as possible. It was what was best for everyone and displaying any sort of feelings for her here and now could possibly be disastrous.

So he stayed his head and didn't look at her, instead choosing to gaze up at the ceiling of the room.

"When will the bandages come off?" he asked.

"In a few days Ser," the maester replied who had been consulting some sort of notes from a manuscript across the room. "I am confident that the infection is now gone but we will need to wait for some time to be sure."

"And his shoulder maester?" Elia asked.

"Only a flesh wound my lady. The skin should begin to knit itself back together in time. Ser Jaime's arm should remain in a sling for the time being and perhaps by the end of the next seven days it can be removed."

Jaime swallowed back a groan. He had no desire to stay in bed for several days while he waited for his body to slowly heal itself. But then he wasn't certain that he wanted to get out of the bed and face Princes Doran and Oberyn either.

He was fairly certain they wouldn't harm him but at the same time he was still a Lannister and since his father had insulted both Elia and Oberyn years ago he cannot imagine their feelings towards the lions had gotten any warmer, especially considering what his father had tried to do in the capital.

He was at their mercy for the time being. If they decided they did not want him in Sunspear, he had no idea what he would do. He didn't even know where the other members of the royal family were as the princess and he had heard no news since they had fled King's Landing.

He could only hope that Elia would have enough pull with her brothers to convince them for him to remain. He could not go back to Casterly Rock as his father would have received the news of his death by now. To tell the truth would be to offer the rebels his head and reveal the truth of the survival of the princess and the twins.

It was beyond absurd to do something like that.

"You need not worry," Elia said gently. "You will not be going anywhere. My brother is no fool and he recognizes the debt this house owes you. And whatever feelings Oberyn

harbors for past…slights, he will keep his always open mouth closed."

She muttered something then that sounded suspiciously like, _I'll make certain of it._

So Jaime decided he was going to have to take her word for it. His life was in the hands of the Martells now and he would simply have to hope for the best.

It was an unnerving prospect.

But it would seem he had no other choice. A different future was calling and not for the first time did Jaime contemplate just how much had changed because he had allowed his honor to speak for him as opposed to loyalty to his family.

He was still walking the edge of a knife…but it was now a much different blade and he needed to be careful not to put one foot too far to the right or to the left else he might fall off it.

The blonde looked up into Elia's kind eyes and felt her hand tighten around his. He allowed himself to squeeze her fingers for the briefest of moments before he let go and closed his eyes.

He had a feeling his life was about to become a lot more complicated.

Ω

True to her word, several days later Jaime found himself standing in the long hall in the palace of the Sun before the throne of the Lord of Sunspear. His hand and shoulder were still bandaged but after receiving a lot of sleep as well as decent food and water, he was beginning to feel much stronger and more capable.

He had been given garments to wear in the pale yellow of the Dornish colors which clashed horribly with his hair but after cringing slightly he had put them on and had bathed before the servants and Elia had come to take him before her brother.

Elia was standing beside him, something which he was surprised at as he felt certain she would be next to her brother.

Prince Oberyn was eying him with an unreadable expression on his face but he didn't appear angry. He was all but leaning against the

Prince Doran ordered for the door to be shut and bolted with guards standing outside. He had also ordered that they were not to be disturbed until he gave the word for the door to be opened.

All of this served to make the nineteen year old even more nervous about what was going to happen.

"Now then Ser Jaime," Prince Doran began and his commanding voice echoed throughout the chamber. "I am glad to see you are well on your way to recovery from your wounds. My sister was greatly concerned for your wellbeing when you arrived in Sunspear. Now I have heard my sister's account of your flight from the capital. And now I would hear yours."

Jaime blinked for a moment and then wondered what he could possibly tell the man that Elia had not already told him.

He resisted the urge to look at the princess however as he didn't want to give away anything. Despite the fact that he and Elia had grown close in the last few years at the capital because they had had few others to rely on, he didn't think that such a bond would be appropriate in the eyes of the Prince of Dorne. And he didn't want to give the Lord of Sunspear any excuse to toss him out on his ear.

And so he cleared his throat and began. "Very well my lord. On the day of our escape, the day my father's army arrived at the capital, I was carrying out my duties as the shield of the princess. We were in the gardens of the keep when word came from a servant that the king wished to see me. Upon going into throne room I realized that the king had called for the grand maester as well who was also present. He then proceeded to tell me that my father's army had arrived at the capital under a flag of parlay and wished to know whether or not he should open the gates. An odd feeling entered me then as if something wasn't quite right but when I opened my mouth to answer him the grand maester suggested that the Lannisters had proven loyal to House Targaryen in the past and could perhaps be trusted again."

A snort came from Prince Oberyn then but when both Elia and Doran glared at him he pursed his lips and said nothing.

Jaime took a deep breath before continuing and decided he would need to be very…careful about what he would say from this point on. No one but Varys knew his role in killing Aerys and he didn't plan for anyone else to find out. It was a secret he would take to his grave no matter how much guilt he felt at having broken his vows. The man had been a monster and he had threatened and belittled the princess once too many times. The world was better for his death.

Or was it?

Robert Baratheon now sat on a throne that had been won through luck and blood and the realm was still uneasy. Would he be a better king than Aerys?

"Please continue Ser Jaime," Doran commanded.

"Upon hearing that the king agreed with Pycelle, I asked whether or not this was a wise decision. The king demanded to know whether or not I was questioning him. I said I was not and he dismissed me. I opened my mouth to protest once more but he would hear no more and sent us all away. After this I returned to the princess and dismissed the guard who had been with her. It was perhaps a quarter of an hour after this when a servant found me once more and saying that the king wished to see me again. I knew then that something was wrong and proceeded to bring the princess and the royal children back to their chambers where I barred the door and requested that her grace open it for no one but myself. Upon arriving at the throne room I discovered the king even more agitated than he had been before and he informed me that my father had turned his cloak and attacked the city, his men were now sacking it. He then demanded as a show of loyalty that I bring my father's head to him."

Oberyn smirked slightly at what Jaime was certain was the mental image of Tywin Lannister's head on a platter but otherwise said nothing.

"He then turned to his current Hand Lord Rossart and demanded that he send word to the guild that the final plan was to be put in place."

Oberyn leaned forward upon hearing this and Doran's eyes narrowed. "The guild? Would I be correct in assuming that you are speaking of the alchemists guild Ser Jaime?"

"You would my lord," Jaime replied. "I had heard…strange stories throughout my service to King Aerys of his odd obsession with fire and that he had secret caches of Wildfire hidden throughout the city but it wasn't until Brandon and Rickard Stark were burned that I began to believe them. So when the king commanded Rossart inform the guild of the plan, it didn't take long in my mind to understand what he intended to do. After Rossart left the king then dismissed me to fulfill the task he had given me.

"Instead of carrying it out however, I ran after Rossart knowing that the entire city would be razed to the ground if the king did what I thought he intended to do. And I ran him through with my sword."

Elia gave a sharp intake of breathe and looked abruptly at him but Jaime kept his gaze stalwartly ahead.

The blonde knew he would have to explain his reasons for not telling her about this later, but right now it wasn't important.

And now came the hard part.

He decided to leave his part in going back to the throne room after the death of Rossart out completely and uttered his first evasive answer since coming to Dorne.

"I was in the process of running back into the keep when I heard a voice call out my name. As it turned out, it was Lord Varys who beckoned me into the throne room where I was confronted with an enormous pile of ashes which he informed me were those belonging to the king. When I demanded to know what had happened, Varys told me he had entered throne room in time to see Aerys light himself ablaze with one of the torches. He asked if I was going to fetch the princess and the royal children and I said I was. He bid me go with all haste and to bring them back to the throne room as he had some sort of plan.

"After this I ran to chambers of the princess to retrieve her grace and prince Aegon and Princess Rhaenys. Upon looking out a passing window, I saw that the city was indeed on fire and the smoke was thick in the air. Upon reaching their chambers I asked the princess to gather what was needed as we needed to make a swift exit from the city. When she had done so and the four of us were hurrying down the halls we reached the throne room upon which we met Lord Varys once more. The Spider led us to a door which descended into the Black Cells and bolted it behind us. We walked along in the darkness for a time until we reached another door in the side of the passage which Lord Varys informed us would lead to another passage which would take us to the Street of Steel. He bid us go through the door and told us we would find what we needed at the end of it.

"After this he informed me that in order to accompany the princess to safety and in turn make it believable that her grace and the royal children were dead I would need to give the appearance of being dead also. My sword was handed over to be properly scorched so it would seem as if I had died in the same fire that took the king. I was loathe to part with it but it is the one item that my father would need to see before he believed I was dead. So in the end I gave it to him.

"We continued down the passage until we reached another staircase with a door at the top which led into an abandoned black smith's shop where we were able to properly equip ourselves for our escape and Lord Varys seemed to have planned everything down to the horses that we would need for our escape."

He continued telling the two brothers about their trip south along with their narrow escape through the Mud Gate and the merchant couple who had assisted them along the way without knowing who they were. Finally he arrived at the part in which they had been assaulted during the night by several thieves trying to steal their horses and had to fend them off."

Prince Oberyn's hand tightened on the back of the throne until his knuckles were white and Jaime imagined if his face were any tighter it would split in half.

Not a pleasant thought.

When he had finally finished the long and harrowing tale and all of the anxious emotions that had gone along with the experience, a long silence fell in the chamber and no one said anything for several moments.

"Well there you have it brother," Elia said. "You know the entire sordid tale."

"Aye, that I do," Doran said folding his hands in his lap. "And now we need to decide how we are going to proceed."

He leaned forward slightly on the throne and fixed his dark eyes on Jaime in a searching look that was as intimidating as his father's. Tywin Lannister had a specific sort of stare that had a way of making a person think he was looking into their mind and seeing all their thoughts. Jaime recalled it had once made a minor lord piss himself in his presence and if anything stood even straighter.

Prince Doran however had a way of looking at him that made it seem as if he were peering into his soul and seeing all of the emotions there. Elia had told him that Doran had a way of reading the minute facial indicators in a person's expression to gain access to what they were thinking.

"It would seem that both Houses Targaryen and Martell owe you a great debt Ser Jaime and it is one that will not go unrewarded. You of all of your brethren have exhibited the qualities of a Kingsguard when your sworn brothers did fulfill their oaths in guarding the royal family. Because of your actions and the great personal risk you have taken in serving not only the royal family but my own family as well, I wish to offer you a place in the Dornish court. Given what you have told us about how the rest of the realm presumes you dead, you are now the last defense of the old regime that my sister has and from what I have heard speaking to her, she trusts you above all others. Is that correct sister?"

"It is Doran," Elia said and there was a fire in her golden brown eyes that Jaime had never seen before. "Ser Jaime killed several of his father's men to protect my children and I. He ensured that House Martell remains unbroken and I would see his actions rewarded."

Oberyn cast a look over at Jaime then and there was a slight smirk on the younger prince's face as if he were slowly warming to the knight from Casterly Rock.

"Very well then," Doran said. "As such that King Aerys is dead, your vows to him are null and void. You are an honored guest of House Martell. Because of this you will have rooms in the Sun Tower as befitting your station."

Jaime had a feeling he was dismissed from this point and bowed to the prince, a wave of relief coming over him, not only that he would be allowed to stay but that he would not separate from the princess.

After having come so far with them he would not want to part ways with them now. Also where would he go if he were to be cast out?

Essos would be his best option, perhaps he could become a sellsword or join one of the companies there?  
It would be a meagre existence but it would be better than returning to his father and undoing all the work they had done in order to save the princess and her children.

A moment later however, Jaime realized that this would never happen as the Martells would need him for insurance. If they let him go, there was a chance that someone would see him and spread the word.

He blinked then, remembering that none of that would be happening as he had been offered a place in the Dornish court. He would never return home again.

For a moment his sister's face flashed in his mind and a dull ache filled his heart. Despite all that had happened there was a part of him that still loved her. It was a small part, but it still existed. Despite what she had done and the role she had played in making all of this possible Jaime would always hold a special place in heart for her.

She didn't matter in any future decisions that he would make as she believed him dead but he would remember their time as children with fondness.

He bowed once more to Prince Doran then and strode from the room.

It was time to begin life anew.

Ω

Doran watched the young knight disappear from the throne room as the doors closed behind him and felt the gears of his mind turning as he began to scheme.

Elia had begged off a moment later under the pretenses of wishing to check in on the twins. But Doran wasn't sure he completely believed her excuses.

Her children were important to her yes, but he had reason to believe that the Lannister knight had become of some value to his sister and he needed to know how deep that importance went and whether or not Jaime Lannister felt in kind.

He believed his sister when she had claimed that nothing had happened between her and Ser Jaime in the capital not even during the war. But he was also concerned that the fact that Lannister had been Elia's only friend, it had led to a sort of dependence on the young knight. And perhaps this was a dependence that could be used to his advantage.

Dorne was in a unique position.

Not only were his sister and children alive and had survived the war but the son of the man who had insulted the Martell family was now in his court claiming responsibility for their survival.

Things had just become infinitely more complicated but Doran knew it was far better than the alternative.

Now he just needed to figure out a way that Jaime Lannister would fit into their plans for the coming years.

He had a few ideas to begin with.

Doran Martell may have been many things but a fool he was not. While Elia claimed nothing had happened between her and the knight during their four years in the capital together, that didn't mean that she didn't feel anything.

The knight may have abandoned his king in the taking of the capital but given the circumstances, Doran really couldn't blame him.

"If you would remain behind for a moment Oberyn," Doran said as his brother moved to follow their sister out of the room.

His younger brother looked back at him in surprise with one eyebrow raised but paused in his stride. "Yes?"

Doran waited until the doors were once more closed before he spoke again. "One of these days I think you will be the death of me Oberyn. Your impulsiveness is going to be young undoing. I had half expected to hear word from the capital that you would have engaged the rebel forces in battle much less Tywin Lannister's forces and lost your head as a result. I feared I would lose two siblings, not one."

Oberyn narrowed his eyes slightly but Doran held up a hand before he could interrupt. "What did you intend to do when you reached the capital Oberyn? You must have received word of the sacking of the capital before you entered the crownlands. What was your plan to free our sister and her children then?"

"My chief plan was to rescue our sister no matter the cost," Oberyn said with an edge to his tone and Doran knew he was displeased about what had happened in the capital.

"In other words you had none," Doran said for his brother as he knew that this was what Oberyn had really meant.

"What of it?" Oberyn asked. He appeared annoyed at his brother's questions and Doran knew he was going to need to get to the point.

The Lord of Sunspear sighed. "I can only thank whatever gods there were that you did not get yourself killed and that our sister has been returned to us safely. Religion is not a principal part of the Dornish way of life but perhaps it should be after these twin miracles. And now I need to decide how to proceed."

The hard look on Oberyn's face vanished and a contemplative one replaced it. "You have been scheming haven't you?"

Doran had the good grace to look slightly offended. "How little you know me brother. I never scheme, I merely plan."

"Mmhm. And these plans are?"

Doran folded his hands in his lap. "Not only do we have our sister back but we have Jaime Lannister as well, the only child I am aware that Lord Tywin gives a damn about."

"You do not intend to kill the lad do you?" Oberyn asked frowning. "It seems our sister bears an affection for him and he has proven to be a loyal ally of our house. It would be senseless to take his head for his father's crimes."

Doran raised an eyebrow at his brother. Yes he could already see that Oberyn's cool exterior to anything Lannister was beginning to melt. Elia was born slightly after Oberyn and Doran knew that it had always been his brother's mission in life to protect the girl who had been sickly after she was born. To know that someone valued her enough to risk his life to save hers well…that person would have a friend for life in Oberyn.

"You need not worry," Doran said waving his hand dismissively. "I have no intention of harming him. He is far more useful to us alive. And when my plans come to fruition, he will ultimately be the downfall of House Lannister. Tywin Lannister will pay for what he tried to do to my family and now that Ser Jaime is free of his influence I intend to have the boy renounce his father and create an alliance between their house and ours. He will be a loyal friend to House Martell. The reign of Tywin Lannister will come to an end and his own son will be the cause of it. And when the time is right, we will emerge from the clouds and take back the throne for our sister's son with Jaime Lannister at our side, showing the world that we are not broken and we never were. Brother I intend to pull off the greatest plan Westeros has ever seen and Jaime Lannister is the last piece I need to begin playing."

Oberyn looked amused as his brother rarely grew this intense when discussing his plans. He could only conclude that Doran had had ample time to think while he was away and intended to perform an act more devious than usual.

"What do you think of him?" Doran asked and Oberyn rubbed a hand across his mouth. "I think he is the only member of the Kingsguard that proved his oaths and served the royal family. Where were the rest of them when that beast that Tywin Lannister calls one of his banner men was sacking the capital and killing the people he believed to be our sister and children? Where were they when our sister was being held hostage by the mad king? Where were they when Robert Baratheon marched into the capital and _laughed_ at the bodies of what he thought was our sister and niece and nephew?"

The fire in Oberyn's eyes had returned and Doran raised a hand to stop his brother before he began pacing.

"I can only be glad that your temper at his act did not land you a place in the Black Cells," he said dryly. "Else you would not be here to hear my plans now."

"Aye I suppose that is a good thing," Oberyn said grudgingly, but he didn't appear done with his rant. "It doesn't negate the fact that the rest of those fools with the exceptions of Lewyn and perhaps Ser Barristan neglected the future queen, the princess and the heir to the throne. Where were they?"

"Elia has some insight into that," Doran said. "Before you returned and whilst Ser Jaime was still unconscious, she informed me that before Rhaegar left for the Trident he told her that apparently Ser Jaime was all the protections she would need."

Oberyn's fists clenched until his knuckles turned white and the tendons in them stood out. "The bastard!"

"Indeed," Doran mused. "Now I wonder why he would think that. And what of the Stark girl? Whatever became of her?"

"Does it matter?" Oberyn asked. "Either the prince kidnapped her or else the flowers he awarded the girl at the tournament were only the beginnings of something more. And if that is so, he is even more of a monster than his father."

Doran rubbed the side of his face wryly. "It may not matter now for Rhaegar is dead and our sister and her children live but the truth of Lyanna Stark will be revealed at some point. For the moment Baratheon sits on the throne wed to Cersei Lannister and lion and stag have been united. This means over the course of the next few years, we will need to carefully monitor the rest of the realm and see who will be our allies for we know who our enemies are."

"I will never support Baratheon!" Oberyn hissed.

"Neither do I," Doran replied calmly. "But if there is any chance of returning our sister's son to the throne of his fathers than we will need to do so outwardly. The realm is still uneasy and Baratheon will need to do what is necessary in order to establish peace."

"Meaning he will have Jon Arryn and Eddard Stark do it for him as he possesses no talent for negotiations," Oberyn guessed correctly.

A slight smile crossed Doran's face. When his brother was not fighting and whoring he could be quite astute. "Indeed and seeing as how Jon Arryn has already been appointed the Hand of the King, the onus will fall upon his shoulders to bring all parts of the realm into the fold. It will be a difficult task for him seeing as how the rest of the realm believes Elia, Aegon and Rhaenys to be dead. He will try to make alliances…but so will I."

"And what sort of alliance do you intend to make brother?" Oberyn asked with one eyebrow raised. "With the Tyrells as the only other Targaryen loyalists, our list of support is short."

"Not as short as you may think brother," Doran muttered under his breath. "Queen Rhaella Targaryen is still to the east with her two sons and daughter and she will no doubt raise an army when the time is right to return to Westeros. I have already promised her my support as House Martell has a personal stake in the throne and perhaps should

Mace Tyrell ever produce a daughter from his marriage to Alerie Hightower…then we can promise the roses a Tyrell queen."

"Aegon is merely four years old and you are proposing a marriage contract for him?" Oberyn asked. "You must think your arm is long indeed brother."

"Oberyn I haven't even begun to extend my reach," Doran replied thinking carefully about the two people who had been in this room not long ago. The first part of his influence would begin with them. "But in the meantime Jaime Lannister must be brought into the fold."

"I thought he already was," Oberyn said. "The lad is thought dead throughout the rest of the realm, the Spider saw to that. Where else is he going to stay but Sunspear? He has done a great service to us and should not be cast out on account of what his bastard of a father intended to do."

"I agree," Doran replied. "But you are missing the point Oberyn. I intend to bind Jaime Lannister to us in much greater way than simple loyalty to our house."

"And how exactly are you going to do that?"

Doran almost rolled his eyes but controlled himself at the last minute. It was beyond him how Oberyn could be incredibly astute at times and then astonishingly dense at others.

"Marriage Oberyn," he replied as if he were speaking to a child. "The best way to bind Jaime Lannister to Dorne is for him to marry a woman of our choosing. And if what I have observed in the last few days here is correct then a young woman has already inadvertently presented herself to us."

"Who?" Oberyn demanded. "You said yourself that no one else here is allowed to know of Elia's or Lannister's survival. How then could a highborn lady of Dorne know about it and offer to be Lannister's prospective bride?"

"There is only one woman who knows," Doran said amazed that he needed to practically spoon feed this to his brother. "And she was standing beside Ser Jaime in this room not long ago."

It was interesting to watch the realization slowly come over Oberyn's face and the various expressions that preceded it. The first was one of disbelief and Doran had to convince himself not to laugh at the way his brother's mouth was opening and closing like a fish. The second was anger but for what Doran had no idea. Oberyn had always had an almost irrational desire to protect Elia which had stemmed back to when she had been ill as a child.

Doran however knew that his sister was much stronger than Oberyn knew or even she knew. Hearing her part in defending herself from those thieves on the road when Ser

Jaime had been occupied fighting the others had proved it to him. _Being around Lannister has been good for her._

Oberyn's final expression was one of deep contemplation. His hands tightened into fists and then loosened many times before he seemed to be able to speak again.

"You are certain?" he asked in a low tight voice.

Doran smiled and it had an almost shark like quality. "There are few things in life that I am certain of brother. Death is one of them, the game of power is another. This will be the third thing I am certain of."

"And what do you think of him?" Oberyn asked. "Do you think he is worthy of our sister?"

Doran raised an eyebrow and looked up at his younger brother. "I believe you already know the answer to that Oberyn. This is the only member of the thrice damned Kingsguard that protected the royal family. Aerys was a monster and Ser Jaime preserved his legacy. The lad has shifted the future of this land forever with one act of love."

"You think it love that he did this?" Oberyn asked appearing surprised.

Doran chuckled. "It surprises me that you think it not love. The oath of a Kingsguard is sworn to his _king_ and yet when the time came for Ser Jaime to choose between serving the king and rescuing our sister, he chose the latter. Why do you think that is?'

"Perhaps because defending Aerys would have been a lost cause. Lannister may be a decent fighter but there are others that are better than him, some of whom are in his father's army."

"Then why didn't he simply lay down his arms when he saw that the Lannister army was sacking the city. His loyalty to our sister clearly outweighs his loyalty to his own family. In the name of the gods he killed some of his father's men to protect Elia and the twins. He was our sister's sworn shield since she arrived at the capital! Do you not think it possible that their proximity to one another would have facilitated emotions that were brought to the fore when he saw that she was in danger and forced to choose?"

Oberyn remained quiet, his expression unreadable and Doran believed he had succeeded in getting through to his hard headed younger brother.

He continued in a somewhat gentler tone. "It seems to me that Ser Jaime is a man to take his vows seriously. And if he broke them in order to save our sister, then there is no greater demonstration of his love for her. And as such, it is something that needs to be capitalized on."

He could see from the look on Oberyn's face that this was somewhat hard to get his head around. "Go and think on it brother. But time will prove that I am right and I intend to use what I have learned to see that justice is done. If two people find happiness as a result of that plan, well then….all the better."

Oberyn didn't reply but simply bowed formally to his brother before stepping down from the dais and striding for the door. He had a deeply contemplative expression on his face and Doran hoped that his brother would take his words to heart. He had no doubt that he would confront Ser Jaime in the next few days about it and almost wondered what the young knight would say before he brushed the thought aside.

There was no time for that now. He had a future to plan.

Oh his plans for Elia and Ser Jaime wouldn't take place right now. He wasn't thoughtless to all his sister had suffered at the hands of the male Targaryens and so she _would_ have time to heal. But the beginnings of his plan would commence with her and Jaime Lannister and end with her and Jaime Lannister.

Because if his suspicions were correct the both of them would only need some minor prodding in order to admit to their shared feelings. And once Lannister could be convinced to marry his sister, he would have declawed Tywin Lannister when the time came to strike. There was no possible way the man would harm his firstborn son, especially one he had once believed dead. And his reticence would be his undoing. Jaime would take over for his father as the head of House Lannister and a war for the throne might be only just avoided.

But for now he would need to keep a close eye on the capital in the next few years. Any whisper that was uttered, any message that was sent, any plot that was formulated he needed to know about.

He would also need to begin to marshal Dorne in this period as well. The Lannisters had their own army as did the Tullys and the Tyrells. Why shouldn't his house have their own force as well?

This went beyond their banner men who's loyalty was to their own house first and then to those of the Martells. Dorne would need to weather the storm that would be coming in the next decade or so and he intended to see them not only survive but to conquer.

Doran allowed himself a small smile as he picked up the quill lying just to his side and put it to parchment to begin writing a letter.

He had work to do.

Ω

Jaime spent the next few days doing something he hadn't been allowed to do in the capital in the last four years…relaxing.

He had forgotten what it was like to simple sit quietly for a while in the sunshine. Dorne was even more famous for its sun than the rest of the south and there were times over the next few days that he would simply walk slowly through the Water Gardens watching any and all who came there.

The twins appeared to love it and he had seen a smile a few times on Rhaenys' face since coming there. He was glad for it. She had smiled so little since they had fled the capital that Jaime was beginning to wonder if she would ever smile again.

Aegon was a bundle of energy and wanted to see anything and everything. He was especially happy when he was around Arianne and Quentyn Martell.

Arianne was a vivacious child with a quick wit and an even quicker smile. She constantly used this to her advantage to prank her younger brother Quentyn who constantly fell for it.

Rhaenys seemed to like her younger cousin and would sometimes take his side in any game they wanted to play while Aegon would team up with Arianne.

There was an air of calm to Princess Elia as well that was surprising. He had never seen her so relaxed before and blamed the capital for the cause of her disquiet over the last few years.

She was far stronger than she appeared for how long she had managed to live there what with Aerys' harassment Rhaegar's neglect and the scheming of the members of the small council.

Very few women could have lived with the king as long, Queen Rhaella being an exceptional case.

Not for the first time did he wonder what had happened to the queen and her son after they had been sent away from the keep.

After a day of simply doing nothing but keeping an eye on the princess and the royal children, Jaime brought it up to Elia and was surprised to see a beatific smile on her face.

"They managed to escape to Pentos Jaime where they were received by a friend of Lord Varys. During the journey however, the queen gave birth to twins. A boy and a girl."

The knight felt his eyes widen and then a burden he didn't even know he had been carrying was lifted from his shoulders.

Aegon and Rhaenys were not the last Targaryens then. There were still three more.

In that time he began to wonder what would happen in the future when Aegon was a man, grown and capable of making up his mind about what he wanted from his life.

Would he want the throne that his ancestors had sat upon or would he want to go his own way, preferring to think of it as the near downfall of his house?

Well…whatever the case Jaime was going to make sure he was alive for long enough to know that he had such choices. The little boy was only four but already so bright and so intrigued with everything else around him that the blonde wondered for a moment what sort of king he would have been. Surely he wouldn't have been mad like his grandfather or callous and indifferent like the man who had sired him.

Due to his mother's influence Jaime had a feeling that he might have grown up happy and well adjusted. Elia had done her best to keep her son out of Aerys way and Jaime could already see the results of her influence.

While Aegon had never been a mean or surly boy when he had been in the capital, he understood from a young age that there were things he should and shouldn't say and being around his grandfather by himself had been a strategic no no.

Fortunately Aerys had seemed content to leave the small blonde alone and had taken no more notice of him than he would one of the servants in the keep.

And now that both he and his sister were out from under the influence of that monster, they were both beginning to grow and thrive more than they had ever been allowed to do.

And speaking of Aerys, Jaime had had a strange feeling that Doran hadn't fully bought his explanation of what had happened to the king.

His story had coincided with Elia's but the knight suspected that the princess's formidable brother thought there was more to the idea of what had happened than he was letting on.

Though he hadn't asked for details, Jaime had been unsettled all the same and vowed to himself that he would never mention the subject of what had happened the day the capital was sacked ever again.

Elia didn't know the details and if Jaime had his way she never would. Only the Spider and himself truly knew what had happened in the throne room that day and Jaime knew Varys wouldn't say anything as it would mean his head along with Jaime's for he had disposed of the body.

Varys only ever said what he thought needed to be said. He was the biggest mystery that the capital had and while Jaime was grateful for the eunuch's support towards the end of their time in the capital, he couldn't help but wonder what ulterior motive the man had for helping them escape.

But whatever they were, it hardly mattered now.

He lifted his face to the Dornish sun and closed his eyes for a moment, contemplating how life had changed in the last few weeks.

Within a year, the Targaryens had given way to the Baratheons and he was a dead man walking. He was free of his oaths to a mad man after killing said mad man and now had been offered an honored place in the court of Dorne as thanks for rescuing the last heirs of the Targaryen dynasty.

The guilt wouldn't often way him down like a piece of lead upon his shoulders however. In driving that sword into Aerys it hadn't mattered if he was doing it to save the city or doing it for his own conscience or doing it to save the woman who had taken up permanent residence in his heart. He had still done it and Jaime had a queasy feeling that there would be a reckoning for his actions before he died.

There had been a reckoning for his actions now when he stood before Prince's Doran and Oberyn and with held the truth from them about just what had happened in that throne room. He wondered if they would care enough to ask about it and then decided that it didn't matter.

Elia and the twins were safe and he had a feeling they would care more about that than what he had done to the king in order to serve his own conscience.

Often times in those few days, Jaime would think back on the words that Elia had told him what seemed like a lifetime ago.

 _A man has a duty to serve his own conscience before he serves his master Jaime. After all, the man will die…but your conscience remains with you for the term of your natural life._

And so he had acted according to his conscience.

He just wished his conscience hadn't demanded that he pay the man back for everything he had done and drive a sword into him. He wished that there had been some way to make Aerys answer for what he had done without having to kill him.

But it would do no good to dwell to long in the land of wishing. A man could lose his mind there if he wasn't careful.

And speaking of being careful, Jaime had at first been extremely wary around the Red Viper before the prince had taken him out into the streets of Dorne to show him around. Of course Jaime had been in disguise as no one could know who he was, but Oberyn's manner seemed to suggest that he didn't regard all Lannisters as deformed worms.

In fact it seemed the more Elia had spoken to her brother about how they had escaped, the friendlier Oberyn had become which was shocking to Jaime.

Although he could certainly understand it. Despite the fact that he would never see her again, the blonde still loved his sister.

Elia who had been walking by his side slowly through the Water Gardens looked up at him and frowned at the pensive expression on his face. "You appear lost in thought

Jaime. Are you alright?"

"Fine your grace," Jaime replied. "Merely contemplating the changes life has taken."

"It is overwhelming isn't it?" the stunning brunette replied. "Words cannot express how glad I am to be home. Aegon has smiled more here than he has in the last four years and you know how he was always a ray of sunshine in the capital."

"And Princess Rhaenys?" Jaime asked.

Elia sighed and her countenance darkened slightly. "It will take some time for her to come around. I think the flight from the capital affected her more deeply than her brother which I still do not quite understand. She was afraid to go to sleep for the first couple of nights that we were here when you were still unconscious and when I asked her way, she said it was because you weren't there to watch over her."

Jaime blinked and to his astonishment a lump began to gather in his throat which he swallowed with some difficulty.

Elia had always hinted that her daughter had a close connection to him but he had tried to explain it away as him being one of Rhaenys' only playmates besides her brother.

None of the other members of the Kingsguard save Lewyn Martell had paid any attention to her other than to watch her at times and ensure that she was safe.

They cared about physical wellbeing and nothing else.

He was aware that Elia was watching his reactions carefully and schooled himself once more to give nothing away. Even though he was less guarded with her than he probably was with anyone else save his brother Tyrion, Jaime still had difficulty completely opening up to anyone. Perhaps it was a defense he had carried since his mother had died.

"The princess will benefit from more time spent with her brother and her cousins," he said. "There were so few children in the capital that perhaps she felt lonely. Now that she is here among her family, perhaps it will help the princess to come out of her shell."

Elia sighed and appeared to walk close to Jaime, causing the hairs on the back of the blonde's neck to stand on end. "I hope you're right. But I think Aerys had something to do with it as well. She was terrified of him and once I had given birth to a girl, the king gave me a choice. I would either see Rhaenys married to her brother when they both came of age, or else she would be married off to Viserys when she was older. I was so shocked and appalled I didn't know what to say."

Rage poured like hot poison through Jaime's blood and the non-existent fingers of his right hand twitched before he remembered that they weren't there. Perhaps this was one more reason he should not feel too badly about killing Aerys.

He cast a look at the little girl who was ahead of them walking beside her brother as Arianne and Quentyn Martell ran ahead.

Every so often she would look back at him as if to make sure that he was still there and Jaime took a deep breath.

It wasn't until Aegon grabbed her hand and pulled her along beside their dashing cousins that Jaime released the breath that he was holding.

"She will be alright you grace," he said when he noticed that Elia was looking up at him as if in need of assurance. "She will need time, but she will be alright."

"I hope so Jaime," the princess whispered back. "Gods I hope so."

Ω

Another week passed in which there was far more quiet than Jaime was used to. He kept a careful eye on the princess and the twins and spent time strolling through the Water Gardens behind them. The time was quietly introspective and he was glad for it as a certain weight seemed to have fallen from his shoulders.

Mellario of Norvos was constantly commenting on her eldest daughter's playful harassment of her two year old brother and Elia couldn't help but smile whenever she had brought it up, causing Jaime's lips to twitch upwards as well.

He had seen little of Prince Doran in that time but Jaime had reason to believe that the prince approved of his presence in Sunspear for some reason that he would not yet name.

To his surprise Oberyn had taken it upon himself to introduce Jaime to his many daughters, bastards all which shocked the young blonde beyond belief to see how readily they were accepted here.

From what he could tell, the eldest three, Tyene, Nymeria and Obara were a formidable bunch but they knew when to be respectful of their uncle Doran who's good grace it was that they were living on.

Obara was the strong silent time, Tyene was impulsive and Nymeria was calculated an cunning.

Of the three of them, Jaime supposed he liked Tyene the best. She was impulsive in a way the reminded him of himself when he was younger and he could see her becoming an excellent swordsman was she was older. She seemed to prefer her short daggers as opposed to the spear and the whip that her sisters favored.

Oberyn had laughed at the look on Jaime's face when Tyene had proudly told the blonde that she coated her blades in poison just like her father.

"Remind me to never cross your snakes," he said in a half joking manner as he and Oberyn walked away from the training grounds of the Water Gardens.

Oberyn chuckled. "They won't harm you my friend. You are the only Lannister that has been allowed on Dornish soil in the last few decades. Although your family for that matter they do not look kindly on. Nor for that matter do I."

Jaime nodded in understanding. If someone from a different house had tried to do what his father had tried to do to his family….well there wouldn't be a place in all of the Seven Hells that would offer them escape from the lion's wrath.

It almost seemed as if Oberyn was preparing his daughters for war with the hard way that he drilled them and never let up on them at any time. They had to constantly be on their toes and he was further alarmed when Elia informed Jaime that her brother had been quietly looking into ways to establish a Dornish army.

It hadn't taken him long to realise why.

With the escape of Elia and the princess and prince, there would always be the potential for someone to the north to discover that they had survived and informed the king.

There were spies everywhere in Westeros and ears that could hear any number of things if you were willing to pay the right price for them.

Should someone learn that Rhaegar's legacy had survived the sack of King's Landing…well it might be cause for open war.

Elia had already told him that Doran had told her that Robert didn't trust the Tyrells as they had fought for his enemies and even though they had sworn fealty to him, they were not welcome at court.

The Martells had refused to support a king who had joined with the man who had butchered their sister and her children, or who they thought had butchered them and so that put them at the top of Robert's list to watch.

They neither supported him nor renounced him and instead had chosen to sink into anonymity but Doran was not so blind that he wouldn't notice that the King would itching for a chance to prove to the rest of the realm that he would not be crossed.

And thus they needed to be ready if Baratheon ever found out and turned his attention south.

Upon realizing this Jaime felt a sick sense of satisfaction as well as a queasy feeling that another war might be waged because of what he did.

Mind you, one could have started if his family had truly succeeded in what they intended to do in butchering Elia and the twins but that was neither here nor there at this point.

He also knew that Doran Martell was a schemer and he wouldn't be content to sit on his hands for long. So he was being proactive before war was actually declared.

The blonde knew that Elia was worried about drawing her home into another conflict on account of her survival but he also knew that her brothers wouldn't think twice about drawing blood to protect her.

He also knew that he would be expected to participate in such a war should it occur and he would be expected to fight against his family

He had already stood up to them to rescue Elia, but the thought of meeting his father or uncle or cousins on the battlefield was enough to make the blood drain from his face.

Jaime had to force himself to calm down at times. No one knew that the princess and the twins had survived and Doran had threatened most painful death on those who did know if they were to ever reveal their knowledge to another living soul.

In the meantime he was still trying to get his feet under his again after having gone through such a drastic life change.

He never would have figured himself as a friend to Dorne but then he never would have figured himself in a position of having to save the royal princess and her children. He never would have thought of the Martell brothers as _friends._

But that was exactly what seemed to be happening…with Oberyn at least. Jaime still wasn't certain of Doran's motives but he liked to think that the Lord of Sunspear approved of him. Why else would he have offered him the place he had?

And speaking of place, having found it hard to sleep one night two weeks after their arrival in Sunspear, Jaime found himself standing on one of the balconies overlooking the Water Gardens not far from his own chambers.

The palace was quiet and there were few sounds except for the roar of the waves of crashing upon the sand on the distant shore. There was a breeze that rustled the leaves and palm fronds of the gardens making them clink together in a hollow sound.

Jaime was dressed in a loose bronze tunic that he had quickly thrown on when he had awakened, realizing he wouldn't be getting anymore sleep that night.

Rhaenys wasn't the only one to suffer from nightmares.

Whenever he closed his eyes, the memory of what had happened to Brandon and Rickard Stark would creep up on him and he would awaken in his bed with the sheets soaked in sweat and knotted around him, heart mounting like had just gone through their escape from the capital all over again.

He still cursed his own cowardice for not speaking up, for not saying or doing anything that might have at least delayed the action so that help could come.

He didn't know what form it would have taken but anything was better than what had happened.

His hands had never held the torch that lit the fire under Lord Rickard and they had never wrapped the whip around Brandon Stark's neck or placed the sword just out of his reach but he had been a bystander all the same.

Aside from killing his king there was the guilt of what he had allowed to happen as well. And all of it could have been avoided if the prince had just been faithful to his wife, upheld his vows and served the realm rather than expecting it to serve him.

 _That's a bit a hypocritical of you isn't it?_ A small dark voice in his mind cackled. _What do you know about being faithful and upholding your vows? You shoved a sword into your king before you fled the capital and let a lord paramount and his son burn without so much as making a squeak of protest. And the worst part if that you've been in love with a married woman for almost four years, a woman you're supposed to protect and not harbor any feelings for. You're as guilty of coveting another man's wife as Prince Rhaegar was._

Jaime let out a silent curse and ran his hand through his unruly hair before looking down at his right hand in disgust.

Using a sword again would require some adjustment and Jaime knew he couldn't afford to shirk his duties just because they were in Westeros's version of paradise.

Doran Martell was preparing for war, he would need to as well. His duties to the princess hadn't died just because Aerys had.

"Can't sleep?"

Jaime nearly jumped and then looked up to find the Red Viper strolling up to him with an easy smirk on his face.

He grunted an affirmative and winced at the sweat that was sliding down his back. Though he had grown up in the south where it was always warm, Dorne possessed a heat that he had never felt before. He was grateful that the palace was on the edge of the ocean so it offered some relief from it.

"The weather makes it hard to be comfortable," he muttered to his new friend.

Oberyn chuckled and clapped his shoulder. "You northerners will never become used to the Dornish sun. But it is better than any other light in Westeros. Our wine in better, our women are better and our warriors better than any other in Westeros as well."

"You have an uncommonly high opinion of your home," Jaime said with a small smile.

"Should I not?" Oberyn asked spreading his hands. "Loyalty to ones country and house is what defines this country. If there wasn't, it might cause for anarchy."

He paused for a moment then and looked at Jaime as if he were trying to read every thought in his mind. "Something similar to what you've done come to think of it."

Jaime bristled slightly but Oberyn continued talking as if the occurrence hadn't happened. "I'm not questioning your actions as no one can. You have performed a service for my family that can never be repaid so I will not test you for your name. Sometimes duty to what is right outweighs family and country. And somehow you knew that you were doing the right thing in rescuing my sister. Why?"

Jaime had wondered if a conversation like this between himself the prince of Dorne might come up. He wondered if Oberyn suspected his feelings for Elia.

Well…he was about to find out.

"Loyalty to the royal family is paramount," he said as they stood there in the moonlight. "Loyalty to anything or anyone else is second."

"A noble sentiment and one that your sworn brothers save my uncle clearly need a lesson in," Oberyn muttered, his face darkening.

The both of them were quiet for a moment. The wind blew again and ruffled Jaime's hair, providing a blessed relief from the heat.

"Is that all?" Oberyn asked. "A noble sentiment to protect the royal family from the rebels?"

Jaime looked at him point blank. "Should there be more than that?"

Oberyn gazed back at him, his black eyes impassive. "You tell me."

And that was when Jaime realized he knew. He should have known that it would come up before long but he still wasn't prepared for it to come out quite this early.

Surprisingly Oberyn said nothing and Jaime realized for a second time that the look on his face had been answer enough.

"How long?" he asked.

When Jaime spoke again it was in a voice so low that the win almost stole his words away. "Three years."

"Have you told her?" the prince asked.

Jaime uttered a bitter laugh. "That would be rich wouldn't it? The scandal of the decade I am sure. Gods know what the king would do to me if he knew. I was chosen to guard your sister Prince Oberyn, not fall in love with her."

There, he had said the words….they were out and all of a sudden it was as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

Oberyn seemed surprised at his admission as well and then his eyes darkened for a moment in speculation.

Jaime looked at him carefully. He didn't seem angry but if the last few weeks had taught him anything about the red viper it was that the man's emotions could change on a dime.

After a long and thunderous silence Jaime decided to speak. "Are you going to deck me now then?"

Oberyn remained quiet.

"No," he said finally and the quiet admission almost sent Jaime reeling. "Why not?"

"I've never been known for doing anything halfway," Oberyn replied. He was no longer looking at Jaime now but rather out over the Water Gardens. I protect my family at all costs but a few weeks ago was the one time that I couldn't and someone else had to. As it turned out….that someone was you. Even though you had to abandon the king to do it."

"With all due respect Prince Oberyn," Jaime said tightly, gripping the railing. "It was either the king or your sister. And I think you know which one you would have preferred."

"Aye," Oberyn said after another long silence. "It seems her trust in you is warranted then. Perhaps you should tell her."

If Jaime was shocked before than he was downright flabbergasted now. "You believe me to be deserving of your sister?"

"No," Oberyn replied. "No man would ever be truly worthy of my sister. But of all the bastards in this world that we live in….you are one of the few that comes close."

Jaime didn't have time to be surprised this time for Oberyn had turned to him and was now gripping his shoulder so hard the blonde was surprised he hadn't drawn blood.

The look in his eyes was as intense as a black hole.

"My sister's trust in you seems to be warranted Lannister," he said in a voice that was deep with promise. "Make sure mine is as well."

And then he turned and left an astonished Jaime standing there on the balcony, wondering which way the world was going to turn now.

Ω

 **Review! More excitement in the next chapter!**


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Elia

Gods but she had missed the sunshine.

As Elia stood there on the beach a half month after she and her children and Jaime had arrived in Sunspear and dug her toes into the sand, she couldn't help but feel that there was some form of divine providence just in store for her with all that had happened.

She was free…Rhaenys was free….Aegon was free….they were all free and they would not return to that dreadful time that had been ruled by madmen and greedy nobles.

Here they were in a place where they were loved and protected and where they would be raised without fear of the future and the heavy weight of their father's legacy hanging over them.

They would know the truth about Aerys and Rhaegar Targaryen when the time came and she would ensure that they would never follow in their father's or their grandfather's footsteps. They would have the examples of both of their uncles and their Rhoynish ancestors to follow.

Perhaps when they were older she would take them to see their grandmother and uncles and aunt in Essos so they might know the proud ancestry of some of their Targaryen ancestors.

While Elia had serious reservations about many members of the dragon family history, there were still some who had inspired greatness and peace.

Thinking about Rhaella filled Elia with a sense of peace. Despite all she and the widow of Aerys had suffered, they had emerged from it alive and stronger than before which was something that couldn't be said for the men they had been married to who had brought their fates on their own heads.

She thanked the Mother every day that Rhaella had gotten through her pregnancy safely and without too many complications. And not only had she given birth to a healthy child, she had brought forth two, a boy and a girl. One might think that fate had had a hand in giving her another son because she had lost one.

She hoped that someday soon the twins would be able to meet their new aunt and uncle and reunite with Viserys.

He had been a sweet boy who loved to play with her son and daughter when they had all been in the Red Keep and she had wished him every happiness when Aerys had sent him and his mother away.

And now it seemed he would have the opportunity to be happy and have a future away from his father's poisonous influence.

 _Gods I miss them….I miss them all so much…_

In the meantime however she was safe and happy and standing on the shore of the ocean digging her toes into the sand and feeling it squish beneath her feet as the sun beat down on her and a warm wind blew.

She had missed the ocean.

King's Landing had stunk of horse dung and expired milk and when she occasionally did get a breeze off of the bay it stunk of refuse that people had dumped out of their windows and which had filtered down to the bay.

In the keep they were away from most of it but every so often the princess had had to keep her hand over her mouth and noise so she wouldn't gag.

There was none of that here though. The scent of salt water was sharp upon the air and the sound of gulls was noticeable high in the sky. There were no clouds up above her and the sun was hot and dry just like she liked it.

Currently Aegon and Rhaenys were playing with their cousins in the surf under the watchful eye of Areo Hotah and Mellario.

Her three nieces were there as well and keeping an eye on their younger cousins discreetly. As much as her brother's bringing them into the world was questionable, she loved Tyene Nym and Obara fiercely.

They were family and you didn't turn your back on family.

Elia had planted herself down in the sand and crossed her legs, smoothing the skirt of her dress over her knees. The wind blew again and lifted her long black curls off of her shoulders blessedly.

The bronze colored dress she was wearing was wonderfully light and silky so it did not drag about her heels and slow her down. It bared her arms and there were golden fasteners at the shoulders holding it together. It had a plunging neckline as was the Dornish fashion and upon her brown was a thin gold circlet with an amber stone embedded at its center and her golden brown eyes sparkled in the light.

Every trace of her having been a Targaryen bride had been wiped away and she had returned to her Dornish roots completely.

And she couldn't have been happier.

 _I'm home….we're home…._

She glanced up at Jaime who was standing beside her with his arms folded across his chest and his legs spread shoulder width apart staring down at the children in the water as if he were daring it for a fight.

He was dressed in Dornish clothes and the bronze and orange colors suited him quite well. His golden hair and fair skin had darkened slightly in the last few weeks that he had spent in the southern tip of Westeros. It made his emerald eyes seem even more pronounced and dark which stood out soundly in his face.

The colors brought out his chiselled jawline and made him seem even more striking. Elia had always privately thought him handsome but devoid of the rich red and gold colors of his house and in the stripped down tones of hers…it suited him quite well and made her often take a second private look at him.

He had become even more reserved since waking up in Dorne however and speaking with her brothers.

Elia knew for a fact that he and Oberyn had become friends since Jaime had performed the ultimate loyalty to their house in returning her and her children to them and he was seen as an honored guest of Dorne and henceforth the only Lannister to be welcome on Dornish soil.

The news of it had made him even more serious, more concerned with his duty in protecting her and the twins and it concerned her a bit.

Even now as she was sitting with her feet buried in the sand and he was standing over her, he didn't seem to be relaxed like the rest of them were.

In fact he even seemed to be tenser.

"You can relax you know?" she said looked up at him.

Elia was amused when he blinked and looked down at her as if he had been in his own personal world before she had spoken. "I beg your pardon my lady?"

The princess almost rolled her eyes. It had taken some time for Jaime to transition back to calling her by her Dornish title rather than by the one she had acquired since becoming Rhaegar's wife.

She knew it had been difficult for him as he had spent four years calling her by the title of your grace and now to transition back took some conscious effort on his part.

Somehow he had managed it though.

Doran had been reluctant to let her know too much as there was no one outside of Dorne except for Lord Varys who knew of her survival and the more people that knew, the more dangerous it would become for her and the twins.

Her brothers would fight to their last breath for her, but she had no desire to see Dorne razed to the ground by the rest of the Seven Kingdoms because of one man's hatred.

Elia had been thinking of a few plans since her brother had impressed upon those who knew the need for the utmost secrecy.

Doran had also been in secret councils with his advisors and his wife for weeks now and Elia had never been able to find out what they were discussing.

It both annoyed and worried her.

She had grown fed up of pacing the palace like a caged animal one day and had suggested that they all go to the beach for a day of fun and so she could get some fresh air.

Doran had agreed but only if they went to a secluded section of the beach which could be overlooked by the prince's balcony.

Only the most trusted members of the Martell household went with them.

But as Elia glanced around at the members in this outing, she was again conscious of how much of a risk she was taking even stepping outside.

Her family was taking an enormous risk harboring her here. She wouldn't put them in any more danger. And if a time came in which it was necessary to leave in order for war to be avoided…then she would do it.

Things had been quiet and relaxed for this time being and she was thankful for it. But it also felt as if Elia was just waiting for the other shoe to drop with the silence coming from the capital.

She still felt as if she were looking over her shoulder every so often, wondering whether or not the new king was going to implement some new policies that would affect her indirectly.

And then she remembered what she had just said to Jaime and she wanted to laugh at herself. This was a time for relaxation, not stress.

"I said you can relax," she said. "There's no one to fight, we don't need to look over our shoulder right now. This is a day at the beach, something we haven't had for a very long time. Do you remember when the two of us walked down by the shore?"

She was pleased to see that a small smile had quirked the blonde's lips upward. "It was less of a walk and more so me following you around looking for assassins behind every corner."

Elia smirked. "Well yes, but we did walk. And we talked too. Do you remember when we talked about what names I had chosen for the twins?"

The knight nodded. "I do. And the names you had picked were the names you kept for the twins."

"We also talked about your ideas on names as well," Elia went on with a smile. "And you told me that you favored the name Jason because it was the name of your great uncle, an honorable man who your father claimed would have been a far better lord for Casterly Rock than your grandfather Tytos."

Jaime raised an eyebrow at her. "You and I had that conversation four years ago my lady."

"Yes?" Elia said. "Time hasn't made my memories fade. I remember everything you told me that day. Because it was important."

For a moment Jaime appeared astonished and the look on his face was something Elia would have implanted in her head forever because of how comical it was.

He blinked several times and his mouth open and closed for a moment reminding her of a fish. She almost got the feeling that he was a little more than bewildered by the news that she remembered everything he had told her.

But truth be told, just like the twins Elia remembered everything that Jaime had ever told her because the conversations they had shared in the capital were some of her best memories of her time in that wretched place.

Come to think of it, she remembered a good deal of what she and queen Rhaella had spoken of as well. Her good mother had been so warm, compassionate and welcoming to her when she had first arrived that besides Jaime and her uncle, she had been the only person in the capital that she had been able to trust.

Elia had been afraid to even write to her brothers about the daily goings on of life in the keep because she feared the simplest things would get back to the king who would in turn twist them his way and rotate his manic eyes towards her.

Thankfully it had never happened and the rest was history.

And speaking of history….

"Jaime?" the princess asked looking up at the blonde knight who had once more turned his keen gaze out towards the ocean where the twins were playing with their cousins in the surf. "There's something I've been meaning to ask you."

"What's that my lady?" he asked, eyes still carefully watching the waves.

"Rossart," she began and felt Jaime stiffen slightly. "Why didn't you tell me about him?"

"Why would I have?" Jaime responded with a question. "There was never time and now that we have arrived in Dorne it doesn't really matter anymore does it?"

"I disagree," Elia argued. "You killed someone to prevent the king from burning down the city. That seems to matter a lot. I don't think it was wrong, but it was still an act you committed."

"With all due respect my lady, I had no wish to kill him but if the king had had his way, Rossart would have been dead regardless. Aerys had designs to burn the whole city down. I think he knew deep in his mind that his death would be soon and he wanted it to be in a way that he chose as opposed to being some example to the rebels."

"It certainly doesn't surprise me," Elia mused. "Aerys always wanted an audience. He was insane, but he was also narcissistic. He wanted everyone to watch what he had done and he loved seeing the shocked expressions on their faces when he had done it. I think he derived some sort of sick thrill from it all."

"Indeed," Jaime said. "But the realm doesn't need to worry about him any longer."  
He looked somewhat tense as he said this and for a moment Elia wondered if he felt a certain amount of guilt that he hadn't been there to prevent the king from killing himself. She wanted to tell him that he shouldn't waste his feelings on that monster for one moment.

Aerys had done terrible things and was likely now burning in a special hell of his own design. He was nothing more than a wraith….a dark spectre that every so often she would be reminded of.

Well no more.

She had just opened her mouth to say something else when the sound of footsteps interrupted her.

Elia looked up in time to see one of the men under Areo Hotah approaching. He appeared somewhat out of breath and unsteady upon the uneven sand as he slid to a stop in front of her and Jaime.

"What is it sir?" she asked in alarm.

"I beg your forgiveness for the interruption my lady," the man said. "But Prince Doran has requested the presence of both you and Ser Jaime in the throne room at once."

The princess and the knight exchanged glances.

Elia's brow had furrowed in concern upon hearing the news and she glanced up at Jaime as if wishing to know his thoughts by looking at his face.

Someone would later point out to her that she did that a lot, whenever she as concerned or worried or afraid she would often look to Jaime as if to gain some sort of reassurance that only he could provide.

She didn't realize it…but she had been doing it for years now.

"Did he say what he wants?" she asked the servant.

He shook his head. "No my lady, but he did ask for your presence right away. It seemed most urgent."

Jaime rolled his shoulders as if to stretch them. "Then I suppose we should not keep him waiting."

He glanced down the shoreline at the twins and Elia could almost see what he was thinking. "They'll be fine Jaime, they're surrounded by guards and this section of beach is only accessible by the palace. There is no one around for miles but those loyal to my family."

She said the words as much for his benefit as for hers. Often times, Elia was reluctant to let Aegon and Rhaenys out her sight.

She knew theoretically that no one was going to harm them here but years of keeping them away from their grandfather and any of the other members of the court whom she didn't trust had rendered her suspicious and rigid in her wariness of others.

But after casting a long look at Ellaria who was also down by the shoreline with her own daughters and several Martell guards, Elia relinquished control of the situation mentally and nodded to her brother's paramour who nodded back.

"Very well then," she said turning to the servant. "Shall we go?"

She lifted her long skirts and followed the servant across the sands with Jaime following at a slight distance.

He always made sure he maintained a respectful pace behind her whenever the two were walking together just as he had done in the capital and there were times when Elia wanted to tell him that it wasn't necessary but knew he wouldn't listen.

Jaime had always been single-mindedly stubborn about nearly everything that he felt strongly about and now that they were in Dorne, she wondered if his physical distance from her was a way of wariness from her brothers.

She knew both Doran and Oberyn could be intimidating in their own ways and they both possessed very different personalities but they were like a pair of matched blades.

Oberyn was the strong attack that you could see coming but barely counter while Doran was the shorter dagger that wouldn't hesitate to slip a knife in your ribs to guarantee a kill shot.

They had always been fiercely protective of her and so when it came to her life and her safety it seemed to bring out the inner beast in both of them.

She hoped that this impromptu meeting wasn't about that. Elia had had enough danger and intrigue to last a lifetime.

The brunette beauty closed her eyes and took a deep breath. It likely wasn't to be that bad. Doran had promised to include her and Oberyn on any decisions regarding the future of Dorne as they were now altogether again. This was likely something about that.

 _That still might have something to do with you,_ a sneaky little voice whispered in her mind. _What happens to you affects the future of Dorne as well you know._

Elia gritted her teeth forcing the annoying speaker away. She was letting her own fears and insecurities speak for her as she had done numerous times when she was still in the capital. Remembering her stoic silences in response to Aerys' mad taunts, the beautiful brunette grimaced as she knew that she could afford to be silent about her fears no longer.

Aerys was dead and yet here she still stood, having a say in her own future and the decisions that would be made regarding her children.

So she squared her shoulders and elongated her stride as she followed the servant back up the beach towards the marble path that would lead through a tall arch into the Water Gardens that two guards were standing on other side of.

The moment she passed beneath the arch and entered the cool quiet where the only sound was that of the fountains trickling water into the bowls at their bases she felt more relieved.

The palm fronds in the tall trees swayed gently in the breeze and created a slight rattling sound as they brushed against each other which had a more calming effect.

She glanced upwards at the balcony that overlooked the gardens and caught the telltale sign of Doran's dark head.

He often liked to look out over the scenery from there as he found it calming and took his mind off the frequent bouts of pain he suffered as a result of his stiff joints that prevented him from walking well.

Elia ducked her head for a moment wondering if he had seen her and then decided that it didn't matter. He would see her soon enough.

Calmly she mounted the outside stairs behind the servant with Jaime following behind and tried not to worry about what was going to happen.

As she came to the landing, Elia was further alarmed to find a pacing Oberyn on the balcony walking with his hands behind his back and a look of extreme agitation on his face.

To make matters worse, Doran was sitting very still in his wheeled chair and his eyes were narrowed as if he were thinking very hard about something.

"Brother," she called as she came to the landing and both of her siblings glanced up at her as if they had come out of a trance and were startled. "You sent for me?"

"I did," Doran replied. "Thank you for coming in such a timely manner."

Elia glanced down at the parchment that was sitting in his hand and fought hard to quell her anxiety. "I take it there is some news you wish to share."

"Aye there is," Doran said. "News from the capital, specifically from Robert Baratheon's new Hand Jon Arryn."

Oberyn bristled slightly at the mention of the new king's name but Elia barely took notice. She felt her pulse begin to quicken at the mention of the place she had left behind and knew deep in her heart that whatever Doran had to say to her….it couldn't be good.

She took a deep breath then and exchanged a look with Jaime who had come alongside the balcony railing several feet down from Oberyn.

The two of them shared a look that said more than if they had actually spoken before centering their attention Doran.

Elia frowned slightly. There was a strange energy between her brother and Jaime had only emerged recently. She didn't know when it had happened but it was as if both

Oberyn and Jaime understood each other better in a way.

Upon learning that Jaime had taken his vows too seriously in order to be with a woman, Oberyn had been amusingly appalled. He often joked with Jaime that a man's urge was too strong to be resisted in that area other than by divine means and it was funny to see the way that Oberyn had brought the younger knight out of his shell.

Jaime had always been so reserved, bitter and angry for nearly all of the time she had known him in the capital and seeing him now in the light of the Dornish sun with people to laugh and smile with, Elia couldn't help but feel that it was some sort of divine blessing.

Dorne suited him and living here with people who cared about what happened to him was having a positive effect on his countenance.

What was not positive however was what she felt Doran was about to say.

"And what is this news?" Elia asked, not certain if she could handle anymore surprises.

Doran paused for a moment before speaking and a warm breeze blew, lifting Elia's long dark curls off her shoulder and sending them cascading down her back.

But it almost felt as if a cold wind had blown as they waited for the prince to continue.

Finally Doran spoke. "Dorne has remained very silent since Robert Baratheon took the throne. And apparently the new king has taken that to mean that there is still unrest in his kingdom and he wishes to see whatever…concerns there are….to be put to rest."

Elia could practically hear the contempt in her older brother's voice when he paused briefly at the end of his monologue.

Oberyn made no attempt to hide his disquiet however as his pacing was interrupted by several choice curses that made the Martell princess wince.

"And what does he propose to….settle whatever disagreements he feels there are my lord?" Jaime asked and Doran sent the young knight an approving look.

His next words were damning however.

"He intends to send his new Hand Jon Arryn here to Sunspear to receive our terms of surrender as well as an agreement that we will not continue the fight against Baratheon. He will be here in a matter of weeks."

Even though Elia had known something like this would happen, even though she knew her happiness at returning to her childhood hope was short lived, she still felt the chill of fear come over her for it was a revelation that she had allowed her idealism to get in the way of her common sense.

A cold tendril of panic slithered down her back and she could feel Jaime's eyes on her face. She knew she wasn't doing a good job of keeping her emotions in check but under the circumstances, she thought it understandable.

"And so what are we to do?" Oberyn demanded in a hissing tone. "We allow Arryn here to represent his oaf of a king, he discovers Elia and the twins' presence, and calls the armies of his ward down in a holy rage to finish the job that that bastard Tywin Lannister attempted to start?!"

"Calm yourself Oberyn," Doran said coolly. "I will do nothing of the sort. But I cannot deny Arryn's coming either as it will make us look even more unfavorable in the eyes of Baratheon. And we cannot risk a war."

"So what do you propose my lord?" Jaime asked calmly.

He was the only one who hadn't seemed to have lost his nerves and it was a credit to all he ahd gone through that it had created an iron clad will within him.

Elia didn't see the hand that was missing two of his fingers twitch at the mention of Tywin Lannister but then no one did.

Doran exchanged a long look with Jaime before looking out over the top of the balcony into the Water Gardens.

From this height and at this time of day when the sun was just beginning to sink towards the horizon and create a rosy glow in the heavens, it was hard not to feel peaceful about the world.

The palm fronds were rattling back and forth in the breeze and there was the telltale roar of the ocean from a long way off rolling in and out along the white sand beach.

The breeze was warm and comforting as it blew between the few members of House Martell gathered on the balcony overlooking it all.

Elia glanced down towards the shoreline and caught a glimpse of several small figures playing the surf.

The sun was glinting off of Aegon's golden hair as he tossed water at Arianne and Rhaenys was smiling for the first time in what felt like forever.

Quentyn was laughing so hard he had to bend over and she could see the figure of Lady Mellario kneeling in the sand holding her youngest son Trystane in her arms as she kept a sharp eye on her children and relations.

It was a scene worthy of a portrait.

And no one down there knew it was all about to be disrupted once more by a fool of a man who didn't know when to leave well enough alone.

Elia closed her eyes for a moment, sending up a prayer to the Mother for mercy before turning back to her brother. "What is your plan Doran? I see it on your face that you are about to propose a great and terrible thing. Silence can't help us any longer. We've been living in a bubble since the twins and I arrived in Sunspear. But reality has come and we can ignore it no longer."

"No," Doran said. "Not we cannot. And thus I have come to a hard and painful decision. Sister….you and Aegon and Rhaenys must leave Sunspear."

There was a long and terrible silence that followed this declaration before Oberyn spat out more choice curses. "Over my dead body!"

"Oberyn – "

"No!" her brother fairly shouted. "We just got you back from the dead! You and the twins. Brother we have undergone weeks of grief, rage and guilt because of what we thought those monsters did. And then Elia and her children returned to us from the grave! You would send her out into the world again where she will once more be at the mercy of those who would sooner see her and the twins dead as soon as look at her?!"

"Stop talking about me as if I'm not here Oberyn!" Elia snapped at her brother with more sharpness than she realized.

Her interruption cut off the rest of the Red Viper's rant and he stared at her jaw slack.

Gathering courage, she continued. "I am no longer a child. I am a woman grown and have survived the worst thing that could possibly happen to a woman in this land. I survived an unfaithful husband who ran off with some northern whore. I survived the war as a result of his damned actions thanks to the knight standing near me. I survived the fall of the capital and weeks on the road fleeing death, being hungry, going without water and getting little sleep, living in constant fear because of what was behind us. I survived bandits on the road and killed on myself on pure instinct. I am no longer a sickly child that you feel you can speak for. I am Princess Elia Martell and I am unbroken!"

A long silence followed her impassioned words and Elia could plainly see the surprise on everyone's face.

Doran looked equal parts proud and surprised whilst Jaime simply looked impressed though a dark look had entered his eyes and Oberyn merely appeared stunned.

After a long moment where she let her point sink in, Elia turned back to her eldest brother. "Continue Doran. You were telling us your plan."

"Aye," the prince of Dorne replied rubbing the side of his face wryly. "As I was saying, it appears to be necessary that you and the twins leave Dorne Elia. We cannot risk hiding you in the city whilst Arryn is here and the knowledge getting out. It is too dangerous. If there was a way to keep you here whilst guaranteeing your safety when the Hand arrives I would do it in a heartbeat….but we cannot afford to bring the rest of the Seven Kingdoms down upon us. Dorne could not survive that storm."

"Would they truly support Baratheon in a second war to murder children?" Oberyn asked sceptically. "The Tyrells were loyalists during the rebellion and while Lace is a fool I don't think he would condone a war to murder children. They are already on the outs with Baratheon regardless because they sided with the Targaryens."

"True," Doran replied. "But so much has been invested in the secret of the survival of Elia and the twins, is it really worth the risk to take a gamble on the rest of the realm not agreeing with Baratheon?"

No one really could refute those words so Doran continued. "We need to cover our tracks and cover them well. We do not have the strength as yet to take back the seven kingdoms for Aegon as it is his inheritance and birthright. We will in time, but we need to operate under a cover of secrecy. Dorne needs strength and we need to broaden our numbers so that when the time does come and we are ready to move, it will be swift and decisive."

He turned back to Elia. "Sister I have been in contact with Queen Rhaella in Pentos and have informed her of the situation we now face. She is waiting to receive you and the twins. You will be safe with her."

At the mention of her mother in law, the woman who had been her only friend in the capital besides Jaime, Elia felt her throat tighten. She hadn't realized how much she had missed the older woman until Doran had brought her up.

She thought about her little brother in law Viserys every day. He had been such a happy precocious child, excited about the world and everything in it. He had been especially happy to play with and keep a close eye on the twins when all three had been in the capital together. He was almost like a little mother hen hovering over them that Elia had wanted to laugh. She missed him dearly too.

And then there were the twins that Rhaella had given birth to on the journey….Daeron and Daenerys. She didn't even know them yet but she wanted to. Rhaenys and Aegon would have even more playmates growing up if they were introduced to the other twins.

They would be safe in Essos, away from whatever petty political intrigues that took place in Westeros as they were growing up. Essos was also a place where they could perhaps amass support and an army whilst living in secret.

Perhaps it wasn't such a bad idea.

"But the Targaryens survived the sack of the city and the end of the rebellion," Oberyn countered. "Surely Baratheon knows of their existence and if Elia and the twins were to join them, would he not also find this out as well."

"No," Elia said suddenly. "Because who would find out this information first?"

"Varys," Jaime whispered and earned another approving look from Doran.

"Indeed," the Dornish prince supplied. "Varys is the line of defense we did not know we had until now. He has already demonstrated his loyalty to the Targaryens by assisting

Elia and Ser Jaime in their escape and his greatest ambition is to serve the realm. If he did this in the name of serving the realm than we can rest assured that he will not reveal this secret."

Elia wasn't quite as certain as Doran was but he did always have a plan up his sleeve.

"And suppose for whatever reason the truth is revealed?" Oberyn demanded. "Not by Varys but by someone else other than the Spider? For the right price one can find out all sorts of information in Essos. It is highly probable that word will get back to Baratheon somehow."

"I am glad you have raised this point brother for it reveals another facet of this plan," Doran said calmly. "I have already noted to Queen Rhaella the possibility of such an event happening and she has replied that she has no intention of staying in one place and will continue to move about under the name of Vespasian going as far east as she must go in order to keep out of Baratheon's eye. They have already gone into hiding and are beginning the slow journey east towards Asshai. That will not be their final resting place but I know the queen intends to make it nearly impossible for Baratheon to find them."

"But what about – "

"I'll go."

There was a long silence and then all eyes turned to Elia who was a little surprised herself that she had spoken. But it was too late to take the words back so she cleared her throat and spoke again. "I will go. The twins and I will leave on the next tide."

Oberyn looked ready to protest again but Jaime surprisingly cut him off by turning to Doran and asking a question.

"What protections have you put in place to assure the princesses and the prince's safety Prince Doran? I know there are some you have in mind."

This time Doran gave the young man a small smile. "Very true Ser Jaime. I would not be so lax as to send my only sister out across the sea without some line of defense. You of course will accompany her as my sister's shield as well as Oberyn. Perhaps in the Free Cities he might in fact make himself useful.

For once Oberyn looked surprised at what his brother intended. "You truly intend to send me as well?"

"Could I have stopped you if I wanted to?" Doran asked dryly. "You've always marched to the beat of your own drum Oberyn and this way at least you will be doing something worthwhile."

The Red Viper simply huffed and folded his arms across his chest, looking somewhat mollified.

Doran took this as a sign of his assent for he turned to his sister and took her hand in his. "This will only be temporary Elia. Before long you will be back in the land of your birth watching your son's ascent to the throne. We will take back what is ours."

"Aye," Elia whispered to him, feeling her own resolve harden within her. She was determined that this would not be a mistake. The more she thought about going east and getting as far away from Baratheon as possible the more she liked the idea. This would give them time to plan, time to gather people, time to raise support.

"Aye," she said again. "We will take it back with fire and blood. We are unbroken."

"We are unbroken," Doran agreed with fire in his dark eyes.

And then a cool wind blew.

Ω

 **And so the plot thickens. The storyline is really going AU once our main characters reach Essos. The storyline will take on a bit of a mystical hue along with the introduction of some characters that haven't been seen or mentioned in a very long time. Don't forget to review and I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Happy reading everyone!**


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Jaime

The next few days passed by in a whirl wind. In retrospect, Jaime didn't even remember seeing anything being packed, but he was certain that it happened.

He was still a little in shock at how fast things had been planned, how quickly everyone involved had agreed to everything and that he was once more departing his home for a place that he had only heard about but never been to.

That wasn't to say he was upset about it. As long as Robert Baratheon was on the throne and his sister was queen, Elia and the twins would never be safe. And he had to admit that Doran had a point. Elia would always be looking over her shoulder if she stayed in Dorne and there was no way they could amass the support they would need from within Westeros.

But there were armies for hire in Essos, many sell sword companies that were looking to make easy money and if they were paid well and given the right incentives….well then perhaps they would have the makings of the support necessary to take back the throne for Aegon.

That wouldn't be for a while however.

Jaime had a feeling that Elia would want to wait at least a decade before Aegon was seated on the throne. He would only be fourteen then but he knew that she wouldn't want to lose her son to that ugly iron chair the way that Rhaella had lost Rhaegar.

The blonde hadn't had a chance to truly hear that she thought of her unfaithful husband until that day atop the terrace where she had spat her feelings out from between clenched teeth.

Jaime wasn't sure what he thought of the notion of her hating Rhaegar. He did feel it was justified after all the prince had done and he himself though Rhaegar an utter fool for abandoning the most beautiful woman in the seven kingdoms for a child, but those were things he had never been asked about and he would never say them.

Although it did give him a secret feeling of satisfaction to know that she had similar emotions towards her former husband. He would have been worried if she still possessed some form of loyalty for the simple fact that he had been her husband.

But it seemed like the beautiful Dornish sun had more fire in her than anyone realized, including her brother.

And deep down Jaime felt proud of her. When he had seen her in the garden of the keep all those years ago on her first day in the capital, he had wondered if she was going to be as she had told him that she had been, sickly and weak.

But her inner strength in keeping her head when they fled the keep and the capital, being a constant pillar for the twins when they were on the road not to mention fighting off a bandit who had tried to kill her had all utterly cemented to Jaime that she was far stronger than anyone knew.

She had demonstrated it again when she had agreed without any argument to leave her home after only being there for a few weeks to travel across the world practically in order to keep said home safe.

She was making it hard for Jaime to feel anything for her other than intensity.

Now that there weren't any political obligations on him as the whole world had presumed them dead, there weren't any outside persons to frown on the idea of the princess and her sworn shield.

And yet he couldn't bring himself to do it….and for the life of him he didn't know why.

This of course only served to make him more frustrated, both with himself and those around him.

Strangely enough, it was princess Rhaenys who seemed to be able to pick up on his mood. Instead of avoiding him in those few days before they were to leave, the small girl who had been smiling a lot more lately took it upon herself to drag him with her everywhere, asking all manner of questions that would have annoyed Jaime had they been asked by anyone else.

But Princess Rhaenys had always had a special hold on him just like her mother and he found he was incapable of denying her anything.

She had already been informed of what was going on and that there were going to see her grandmother, new aunt and two uncles across the Narrow Sea and she couldn't have been happier.

At first she had been wary of leaving a place where she had been so happy but upon her questions about this, her mother had informed her that her Uncle Oberyn would be coming with them and every so often her cousins in Dorne would come for a visit.

That was something else that Jaime found interesting.

Obviously Arryn was going to be here in a few weeks meaning that Elia and the children would need to be well out of Dorne before his boat came south. But Jaime wondered how Doran was going to explain away Oberyn's absence as well.

But that question was answered the day before they were supposed to leave.

Jaime was a little surprised when a servant appeared at his room door with a message from Prince Doran wishing to speak to him. He would have inquired as to what the

Lord of the Sandship wanted but then realized the servant would know no more than he did and so he swallowed his questions and followed the man.

The servant proved to be a most introspective man because he said nothing as Jaime followed him down the golden brown tiled hallways.

They passed tall windows looking out onto the ocean on the left side and then tall windows on the right which looked out onto lush gardens and exotic trees and flowering shrubs. All the windows were open to let in the sharp salty scent of the sea and the sweet heady fragrance of the ripe fruits and buds in full bloom.

It was an intoxicating combination and one that was far more sensual than any he was used to.

Cersei had once said rather haughtily that the Dornish court was one of lasciviousness, fornication and perversion. While his sister had been wrong in her narrow minded thinking, there was a part of her mind set that hadn't been entirely inaccurate.

They certainly were more liberal at the Dornish court in any and all aspects of life. Prince Oberyn for example enjoyed a good deal more freedom than any other son. He could imagine the reaction on his father's face should Tyrion show up with half a dozen bastards in tow.

One might prove useful, but six?

Not even the Stranger himself would be able to save Tyrion from Tywin Lannister's wrath.

His chest tightened at the mention of his younger brother, the younger brother that would believe him to be dead in accordance with the evidence that Lord Varys had planted.

The Spider would have had to have been very good in order to fool Lord Tywin, but that was something that Jaime was counting on.

He hoped his brother would one day forgive him for the tightly wound ruse they had had to weave about themselves.

He fully intended to make a return some day and reunite with his family. Perhaps it would be after his father was dead and Elia and the prince was safely established on the throne.

For a moment he thought of his sister as well. She was married to Baratheon at this point and would no doubt have forgotten all about him.

So the decision he had made to stay at the Dornish court and travel with the princess and her children across the sea didn't matter to her. She would never factor into another one of his decisions again.

That was both freeing and agonizing.

She had been his other half since they had both come into this world and to be apart from her even after all the years they had still been separated was difficult.

These conflicting emotions were beginning to drive him insane but as usual he pushed back what he was feeling and focused on the curiosity of what Prince Doran had to tell him.

He couldn't help but feel that the older man approved of him in some strange way that went beyond what he had done for his sister.

There had been a peculiar look in Doran's eyes as he had listened to their story and even more so when he had bade Jaime go with Elia to Essos.

Jaime couldn't help but feel that he was one subject in a much larger scheme that had yet to be unveiled and he wasn't sure how he felt about that.

He had always known he was a pawn of his father's and that Tywin Lannister had had high hopes for him, for his marriage and for his ability to rule the Westerlands after he was in his grave.

But all of that had been shot to the seven hells when Jaime had been accepted as a member of the Kingsguard and then any chance of his being relieved of duty was put in the grave alongside his imaginary body.

He wondered absently what his father's plans were now. No doubt Tyrion would be the heir to Casterly Rock as even his father couldn't and wouldn't ignore the lines of succession.

But what would be the reaction when he inevitably did come back to Westeros?

He thought about it and grimaced.

He had been so lost in thought that he had failed to notice they had reached the door of Prince Doran's solar where all manner of state business was conducted.

The captain of Doran's guard, Areo Hotah was standing outside the door and nodded at him.

"Go right in my lord," he said in a cool manner. "My lord is expecting you."

With that said and his business concluded, he turned and walked away down the hall apace as if he were going to patrol the area before returning.

Jaime watched him go for a moment and then a wry smile split his face in two and he ran a hand over the side of his face which was beginning to need a shave.

He suddenly had moments of déjà vu and remembered a time when he had been caught cliff diving as a boy. A servant had seen him and reported the act to his father who had immediately called him to his solar.

Somehow he doubted his father's reaction and what Prince Doran wished to say would be similar however.

After waiting a moment, he decided it would be useless to speculate further about what Doran wanted and rapped on the door.

"Come," called the familiar deep voice from within.

Jaime opened the door and stepped inside before shutting it behind him and turning around. "You wished to see me Prince Doran?"

The solar of the prince was surprisingly small with only a desk and two couches placed on either side of the room.

There was no fireplace but given the heat of the south there was no need for one. The desk was place against the tall open window that looked out onto the ocean and gave an ample portion of the afternoon sun.

There was a table between the two couches placed before the desk and on it was a tray of fruits, cheese and a decanter of wine and two goblets.

They looked fresh and Jaime had a feeling they had been brought in specifically for this meeting.

Sitting behind the desk was Prince Doran who looked as if he had been in the process of writing a letter.

He looked up and Jaime thought he saw a slight modicum of approval in the man's dark eyes. "Ser Jaime. Please sit down."

Somewhat cautiously, Jaime did so. He didn't know why he still felt the need to check his moves carefully with Doran when Oberyn had proven to be a most loyal friend.

Perhaps it was because the man was a schemer on the same level as his father.

There was a moment of silence as the Prince continued writing and then neatly placed the wax signature with his seal at the bottom before turning to Jaime.

"I will dispense with any ambiguity in this moment and simply say that there are two points of information I wish to raise. Neither of them pertain to you directly, but perhaps you will find the first of some interest and the second you will find some insight in."

Jaime said nothing but simply raised an eyebrow, waiting for Doran to continue.

Noting the knight's silence as a gesture to proceed, Doran simply nodded and carried on. "Since your arrival in Dorne several weeks ago, I have seen it fit to place spies along my borders to watch for incoming or suspicious persons entering. And the reason for this was with regards to a curious encounter that one of my spies reported towards me as the war was winding down. By my estimation it occurred sometime after the sack of the capital but before Baratheon was crowned. And it is a matter that I wish to bring to your attention because your presence in the Kingsguard may provide some insight into it."

"I would be happy to help my lord," Jaime answered automatically without really being sure what he was agreeing to.

"Good," Doran replied and deftly wheeled his chair over to the table and leant over, selecting a ripe fig.

He examined it for a moment and rolled it back and forth between his hands as if he were contemplating what he was going to say.

Finally he spoke. "During your time in the capital Ser Jaime, how close were you in the councils of the royal family?"

Jaime raised an eyebrow, wondering where Doran was proceeding with this thought. He contemplated saying he was very aware of the thoughts of Princess Elia before deciding that that probably wasn't what Doran was getting at.

"You mean how much time I spent with each member of the Targaryen household my lord?" he asked, deciding to be as candid as possible.

"Indeed," Doran replied. "My reasons for asking this have to do with the very fact that other than yourself and Ser Barristan Selmy who is now serving the new king in the capital, there exist no surviving members of the old guard."

To say this news was a shock to Jaime was to say that water was wet.

He stared at the prince for a moment feeling a terrible grief and guilt well up in him at not having been aware or being with the brothers he was supposed to fight and die with.

"I hadn't known," he said looking down at his hands.

"No I can see from your face that you did not," Doran said and his tone became less businesslike and almost sympathetic. "Though I thought I would ask all the same."

"When the prince fell at the Trident, I had wondered whether or not Prince Lewyn, or Ser Barristan or perhaps Ser Jonathor survived," Jaime said knowing he wasn't saying much of anything but feeling the strange need to talk. "But when no word came, I assumed, or perhaps hoped that they had survived."

"They did not," Doran replied. "And House Martell will grieve for the loss of Prince Lewyn. My uncle died an honorable death and it will be avenged."

His tone hadn't changed, but there was a hard imperious edge to it that Jaime had a feeling was the schemer and vengeful prince coming out.

Perhaps Doran and Oberyn had more in common than they thought.

"And the others?" Jaime asked. "Ser Arthur and Ser Gerold and Ser Oswell?"

Doran leaned back in his chair and eyed Jaime with a deep scrutinizing look that made the young knight wish to squirm, a feeling he didn't like at all.

"The answer to that question is murkier still," he said. "As I said earlier, a spy of mine along our borders sent word to me of a most curious and gruesome event that he stumbled upon almost by accident. Are you aware of a place called the Tower of Joy?"

Jaime frowned. It sounded familiar. A part of him reached back into his mind to hear the phrase mentioned but he couldn't remember by whom, perhaps the prince.

Doran continued speaking as if he hadn't noticed the blonde's inner inventory of his thoughts. "This spy of mine discovered the remains of no less than eight men. Three of them were members of the Kingsguard, including Ser Arthur Dayne, Ser Oswell Whent and Ser Gerold Hightower, the White Bull himself."

He paused to examine the look on Jaime's face before continuing. The blonde had known that those specific three were commissioned by Rhaegar to carry out a most important task but what it was or where they were going was an unknown to him.

"As for those they fought against," Doran continued. "That too is interesting. Upon securing the capital for Robert Baratheon, Lord Eddard Stark took several members of his own bannermen and road to retrieve his sister, the Lady Lyanna Stark. Those members correspond with the pins many of the deceased were wearing at the Tower of Joy, Lord Willam Dustin, Ser Mark Ryswell, Ethan Glover, Martyn Cassel and Theo Wull. It seems Lord Stark was one of the few to survive, perhaps because he was motivated.

"Upon a careful search of the tower, my spy informed me that there was nothing there except for a bed stripped bare and an empty trunk in the corner."

Jaime got right to the point, some of his shock upon learning of the death of his Lord Commander and the Sword of the Morning having faded somewhat. "What do you wish to ask me Prince Doran?"

Doran raised an eyebrow and Jaime worried for a moment that he had overstepped himself until the man spoke. "You wouldn't happen to have any idea as to why those members of the Kingsguard were in Dorne at this particular tower."

"If the Lady Lyanna was there," Jaime said slowly. "I assume it would be to guard her. Someone must have tipped Lord Stark off to her whereabouts which would explain why he was in Dorne."

"But there remains the question of why they would need to guard her?" Doran pressed and Jaime sensed the question wasn't put directly to him but an inquiry that the prince had wrestled with since he had learnt the news.

"I assume to keep her from being rescued," Jaime replied. He truly didn't know. Nor was he certain why Doran was asking so many questions about the last activities of his sworn brothers. They were all dead weren't they? And the dead didn't speak. "The prince was a man of many secrets my lord and he trusted few men with them. I wasn't one of them."

Doran nodded, his eyes seemingly focused inward for a moment before turning back on him. "Perhaps you are right Ser Jaime. But this leads to the second point I wish to raise. And that concerns the future."

"What about the future?" Jaime asked.

Doran began rolling the pear back and forth between his hands as if he were scheming again. "Your duration in Essos will not merely be to hide from the eyes of the new king."

This had been something Jaime was expecting. "I didn't think it would be my lord."

The look in Doran's eyes might have been approving but in the light the blonde couldn't quite tell.

"Oberyn has his instructions on what to do regarding the matter of security. But protection is only the first step. Defence leads to offence and if my nephew is to be returned to the throne of his ancestors, he must have an army at his back and the intelligence with which to rule and not be overthrown like his insane grandfather and idiotic sire. Which is why this period spent in Essos will not be short term."

This too was something Jaime had been expecting. It wasn't as if Elia and the twins would be able to hide out in Essos for a few months and then return to Dorne believing all was safe again. As long as Baratheon was king, the twins would be looking over their shoulders.

"The time should not be spent merely hiding," Doran continued. "As I said if Aegon wishes to sit upon his throne he will need a subduing force. And in Essos, armies can be bought and paid for. The trick is knowing who to trust and who will not betray you the moment another private buyer offers them more money."

"Isn't that the very definition of a sellsword my lord?" Jaime asked wryly.

Doran raised an eyebrow at the slight modicum of sarcasm in the knight's voice and almost appeared amused.

"Indeed," he said. "But those who control the sellsword company choose whom to protect and who to offer their services to."

Jaime had a funny feeling he was hinting something and he wasn't certain he liked where it was going.

Doran had a way of hinting things that he wished to see done but never actually saying them. It was very different and also very alike his father.

But Jaime had a feeling that he knew what the prince was alluding to and perhaps even what role Oberyn was to play in Essos.

"Have my duties to protect the princess and the royal children expanded my lord?" he asked shrewdly.

The look of approval in Doran's eyes might have grown slightly.

"I will leave that up to your greater discretion Ser Jaime," he said. "But know this: my sister's life and the lives of my niece and nephew are in your hands. How you protect them is the business of yourself. You are no longer a member of the Kingsguard and thus more liberal on what stance of protection you take. But protect them you will."

Again, his tone didn't change but Jaime could read the steel behind it and knew if something were to happen to Elia and the twins, it would mean his head.

But deep down, this whole venture had given him a facet of confidence that he hadn't had before. He had protected the princess during a journey across the southern half of Westeros when they had almost no supplies, no clothing and were surviving on very little sleep. Protecting people was something he felt he had become better at.

And he wouldn't be alone in doing it any longer anyway. The Martell guards Doran was sending with them would play a role in the protection of the remnant of the royal family. No doubt the magister that Queen Rhaella was staying with in Pentos would have secured some form of security for her and her children.

He wouldn't be alone in this venture.

It was something to ease his mind at the very least.

"I understand my lord," he said.

"Good," Doran said smartly before reaching for one of the filled goblets of chilled wine on the table. He gestured for Jaime to take the other which he did.

"Then let us toast to your swift journey to Essos, the defence of my family and a bright future for House Martell and Targaryen."

And the symbol of their shared agreement in this matter was heralded by the clinking of the two glasses.

Ω

 **The next chapter we will be going to a time jump in which the Martell/Lannister/Targaryen party all meet in Essos. There will be surprises and twists coming as well. Don't forget to review and happy reading everyone!**


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Elia

 _Several weeks later…._

Ever since the captain had informed them that Pentos has been sighted by one of his men from the crow's nest, she had been standing at the prow hoping to catch a glimpse of the city since it had first come into view.

Jaime was below deck standing guard at the door of the twins as he always did and thus wasn't with her. It was early morning after all and she had been unable to sleep all night as she knew it was likely to be their last one on the ship before they set foot on dry land again.

Finally after her battle with slumber was lost, the former princess had risen and dressed before climbing the stairs to the deck to greet the morning.

It certainly was a lovely one as the sun was just beginning to come up to meet the pink tinged horizon as if it were an old friend that had been sorely missed.

Oberyn was somewhere about the ship but Elia didn't want to see him just now. Several of the Martell guards that Doran had sent with them were standing cloaked on the other side of the ship and looking in the opposite direction, but she knew they were aware of everything that was happening and were keeping a discreet distance until they arrived in Pentos.

From there, they were all going to take on different names. Apparently Rhaella and her three children had taken on the name Vespasian and Magister Illyrio had seen to it that they had been provided with appropriate disguises.

Elia hoped with everything she had that the disguises they would take on would be convincing. It was hard to disguise platinum blonde hair and purple eyes after all and the latter they wouldn't able to disguise at all.

Rhaenys wouldn't have as much trouble blending in but it was Aegon she feared for. Blondes weren't exactly common in Essos.

And suppose someone saw Jaime, recognized him and reported it to a spy who in turn went back to his horrible father?

No….No it was good that he was wearing a disguise as well.

She let out a deep breath that she didn't even know she had been holding.

 _Peace,_ she thought to herself. _You are miles upon miles from harm now and soon the Usurper will be nothing but a distant memory. He will never bother you_ _or your family ever again and when the time is right and Aegon is grown, he will have an army at his back that will surge across the Narrow Sea like a wave and cut down Baratheon where he stands!_

She had to cut off her bloodthirsty thoughts then before she followed them down an uncomfortable road but upon learning that Baratheon was sitting on a throne that was meant for her son did make her blood boil.

Rhaegar Targaryen had nearly succeeded in taking everything from her and her children but she would not allow that wretched man to take Aegon's legacy even in death.

 _D_ _amn him! And damn Lyanna Stark too!_

Elia privately wondered if the conscience of the Stark girl had smote her just once before she had run off with her husband. Had she even for one moment considered what she was about to do or had she just jumped in head first into a scandalous affair like a brash naïve maiden?

It certainly had seemed like the latter.

Elia remembered the girls' red cheeks and adoring smile when Rhaegar had handed her the crown of flowers at the tourney.

But the sad part was, she couldn't entirely blame Lyanna for being so enthralled. Every woman in the Seven Kingdoms had wanted to be on their backs for Rhaegar Targaryen and the fact that she, a woman who some viewed as too demure to wear the crown and be a queen had rubbed many the wrong way.

Elia had heard from her brother privately before they had left Sunspear that Lord Eddard Stark had arrived in Dorne at a place that she knew only faintly as the Tower of Joy. It had been apparently the place where Rhaegar had hidden away the wolf maid.

And apparently she had also died there.

It was hard for Elia to feel anything for the girl who had run off with her husband. She didn't hate her anymore but neither did she feel sympathy for the girl's death. As far as she was concerned she had brought it on her own head.

And Rhaegar…..oh Rhaegar.

Once she had been certain that she had loved him but as their married life had waned and he had grown cool and distant after the birth of the twins, she had seen his true colors. He wasn't as insane as his father, but he possessed a different sort of madness.

The madness of prophecy was a terrible burden and he had been a cruel fool to think that he could fulfill it.

Elia had no idea of what to make of the phrase the Prince that was Promised, but if Rhaegar had died trying to fulfill it than she wanted his children to have no part of it either.

She wondered if she should even refer to them as his children anymore. Yes they shared his blood and some of his physical features but he had had absolutely no hand in raising them. He had never held Rhaenys and had only held Aegon once all the while muttering something about a prophecy making

Elia fear for his mental instability.

Aegon was no dreamer like his father and Elia could already begin to see her daughter coming out her shell in the last several weeks in Dorne with exposure to her cousins. Arianne and Quentyn had been good for her. Even the laughter of little Trystane had prompted many a smile from the princess causing a release of tension for all involved.

Elia had no doubt that her daughter would recover from the trauma of the capital and of Aerys. She may have carried the Targaryen name but she was also a Martell which meant she was unbroken.

No doubt they could all benefit from a change of scenery however which was why she was looking forward to slipping into anonymity in Pentos.

A sudden breath of wind whipped past her and rustled the piece of parchment in her hand, causing her to look down.

The scrawl was familiar to her as she had read it twice already before she had boarded the boat. Seeing the words though still brought a measure of comfort to her.

Even now Rhaella's circular letters brought a smile to her face as her eyes skimmed over the letter again.

 _My dearest Daughter_

 _It gives me no end of joy to hear that you are alive and well. The fear was overwhelming when my husband ordered the evacuation of myself and Viserys from the citadel as I knew you would be vulnerable to his onslaughts. There was so much uncertainty and I feared for the survival of this family. Hearing the great service that Ser Jaime has performed for our House and yours brings a measure of peace that I have never known. It is relieving to know that there are still honourable men in this world. When I received word from your lordly brother of your survival and that of the twins I wished to weep for a week from relief. It seems that the gods have favoured our family in a unique but sorrowful way. I feared the birth of my children would be the end of me on the journey here as I experienced far more pain with them than either Rhaegar or Viserys. But praise be to the Mother that they arrived healthy and whole and neither my life nor theirs was at risk. I cannot wait for you to meet them dearest, I am certain you will love them as much I know you love Viserys. He misses you very much and was greatly pacified by the news that you and the twins would be coming to Pentos to live with us. He is also much relieved by the arrival of his new siblings even though every so often he asks if Rhaegar is coming to join us. I don't think he quite understands that his older brother is gone._

Elia paused here and sighed. This portion of the letter had a unique way of making her feel both anger and sorrow.

 _I know we did not speak on this much before Rhaegar fell at the Trident but I fear I was too ashamed. I loved my son, I always will. He was my first born and I had such high hopes for him that he would not be like the man his father turned into. However now I can see that in some ways he became worse. I was afraid to look in your eyes after he disappeared with the Stark girl because I knew I would see all of the disappointment and hurt and shame mirrored in those eyes as I knew were in mine. Perhaps I simply wanted to forget the truth of what he did because it was so disgraceful and dishonourable to you. I couldn't bear to see the hurt in your eyes. Every time I tried to speak to Rhaegar about it, he dismissed me saying he was serving the needs of the realm. To this day I still don't know what that meant. But now I don't think that I wish to know. What's done is done and all I want is for us to move forward towards a new brighter future together. House Targaryen has lost its head and main branch but the roots are still strong. We will grow again and perhaps one day we will take back what was taken from us. But for now dearest I simply wish to see you and my grandchildren. I feel that only once I see the three of you with my own eyes that the last vestiges of my fear will drain away and then this whole ordeal will truly be over._

 _With all my love_

 _Rhaella Targaryen_

Elia blinked hard and refolded the letter before pressing it to her heart in a closed fist. Gods but she missed her good mother as well.

In many ways, Rhaella was like the mother she had few memories of. The two of them had been close as had Meria Martell and Joanna Lannister.

And now both of those women were dead.

Elia sighed, an image of the beautiful blonde women entered her mind. People may have thought Jaime resembled his father but there was something about the tall handsome blonde that reminded Elia very much of Joanna Lannister.

She had been the sun to Lord Tywin's moon, always ready with a smile and a joke and she had never lacked for compassion. Jaime had been very gentle and compassionate and loving when he had been much younger and Elia knew he had inherited all of those qualities from the Lady of Casterly Rock.

She fervently hoped he would turn out more like his mother than his father as she had never liked Lord Tywin.  
And now with present circumstances it seemed that he had.  
There was much to be thankful for.  
"There you are."

The beautiful brunette glanced up and immediately featured a ready smile when she saw her brother walking towards her from across the deck.  
She wasn't certain how much he had slept the night before but he looked well rested enough and there was an easy familiar grin on his face.  
"You appear to be in a good mood," she said raising an eyebrow as she looked him over.  
"So do you," he replied as he leaned against the railing of the ship next to her. "Have you been awake long?"  
"A few hours," she replied before turning back to stare out over the horizon, "I couldn't sleep."  
"Are you nervous?" he asked in surprise.  
"Not at all," she said. "I'm anxious to get off this boat yes but you know I've never liked them."

"So why could you not sleep?" He asked.

Elia sighed and ran a hand through the thick fall of kinky curls that hung almost to her waist. Her good sister had observed that she had been doing that a lot since she had arrived in Sunspear and Elia didn't even want to think about how often she had been doing it before with the stress of the mad king being a constant part of her day.

"Perhaps it's because life has been in a state of flux since Ser Jaime and the twins and I fled the capital. I haven't really had a lot of control over what happened to me since I married Rhaegar and even less since then. But it wasn't until we left the capital that I realized how much little autonomy that I had in my own life."

Oberyn's eyes narrowed. "You know that this is only a temporary solution yes? You will not be in exile forever. Doran plans on rebuilding the Dornish army and sending out spies for potential allies throughout Westeros. In the meantime, you and I and Lannister will look for allies in Essos with the queen mother. There will be much that you will have a say in and in going into exile, you will be allowed more freedom. The eyes of Baratheon are on his new kingdom, not on the east. And that will be to his downfall when we return."

"I don't recall you being this optimistic about Doran's plan when he first posed it a few weeks ago," Elia said raising an eyebrow. "Why the change of heart now?"

Oberyn chuckled and rubbed a hand across the side of his jaw wryly. "I'm not a schemer the way Doran is and so the idea of sending you across the world to go into hiding seemed as if we were accepting defeat. However, the journey has given me time to ponder the merits of our brother's plan. Building an army loyal to House Martell will prove invaluable when we reclaim the throne for Aegon and at the moment we have few allies in Westeros. The Starks, Arryns and Tully's have all declared for Baratheon and by now the stag will have wed Cersei Lannister."

Elia noticed that his lower lip curled slightly when he mentioned the world Lannister. She knew that though her brother had accepted Jaime because of the great service he had done for their house in rescuing her and the twins, he would never accept any other Lannister. Jaime would be the only one he would ever like and the rest were as good as dead to him.

"Very well then,"she said. "What's our plan? If we need to begin building our own allies here in Essos, who are we going to recruit. It is a safe wager to assume that for however many armies we acquire, they will require a substantial amount of coin, coin which we will need to spend wisely and not on armies that will desert the moment they are paid. We need to offer them enough of an incentive that deserting would be dangerous and ludicrous."

She paused when she saw her brother regarding her with a look of amused surprise. "What?"

"Nothing," Oberyn replied shaking his head. "I suppose I wasn't expecting you to be such a tactician sister."

Elia snorted. "People change and evolve brother. That's how we survive. I knew how to avoid Aerys well enough in the capital and when I couldn't Ser Jaime was reasonably adept at distracting him. We learn what we need to."

"Aye That much is true," the Red Viper replied.

"I am surprised that Ellaria didn't come with us," Elia continued. "I would have thought for sure you would have brought her along."

"I seriously contemplated it," her brother said in a moment of sobriety. "However she was the one who persuaded me that it would be better for her to remain. She excels far more in the role of spy than travel companion. She will come back and forth no doubt, but Ellaria is a healer and a poisoner. She is a chameleon who would have no trouble entering the capital and removing certain persons from power when it suits her. Her input into the political climate of the capital will be invaluable."

"And what of the rest of your daughters?" Elia asked gently. "You only brought Nym and Obara."

"They will come with her," Oberyn said smoothly. "Nymeria and Obara are the only daughters I have not borne of Ellaria. I would not wish to take the young ones away from their mother. But these two will appreciate Essos more."

"It will also be nice for the twins to have some playmates," Elia commented. "There will be Viserys and Rhaella's other children but they are still quite young."

"Aye."

The siblings lapsed into a moment of silence having seemingly said all they needed to say for the moment and just took in the pink and periwinkle horizon as they sailed farther and farther out of the Narrow Sea.

"Are you nervous?" Oberyn asked finally.

"I was but no longer," Elia replied. "I think this entire experience has taught me that one cannot allow fear to cloud ones judgment from doing what needs to be done. I didn't make that mistake before and I certainly won't make it this time."

And then the silence that fell upon them until they docked in Essos became permanent.

Ω

"Mama this itches," Aegon complained.

Elia cast an almost long suffering look down at her son who was once more scratching at the wig on his head. It was the same colour as his sister's dark locks but was apparently not the same in terms of comfortability.

He had been wearing it since the journey had begun as it would be far easier to cover his blonde locks than Rhaenys' dark ones. Dark haired children were far more common in Dorne than golden ones and Aegon outside of the palace would stick out like a sore thumb.

Unfortunately there had been nothing to be done about the twins's violet eyes but Elia had chastened them to keep their heads lowered at all times until she or their Uncle or Ser Jaime told them to lift them.

They had obeyed, though Aegon did so a bit more grudgingly. And as it stood he was having some trouble obeying the rule to always keep his wig on in public.

The black rug was somewhat coarse and irritating but the price of not wearing it might be far higher than rubbed skin.

Rhaenys of course was smug that she didn't have to hide her appearance as much in Essos because she would naturally fit in already. Every so often she would cast a smirk in her brother's direction when she knew he wasn't looking.

She had only stopped when Jaime had said something to her.

Sometimes it seemed as if Rhaenys listened more to Jaime these days than to her. Those two had a strange connection forged by the terror of the capital.

But at the moment Elia was more concerned with the connection her son was having with his wig or lack thereof.

"My love you need to keep that on," she whispered sharply before reaching for his hands so he might not scratch at it anymore. They were standing on the deck of the ship waiting to dock in Pentos, a highly public setting where anyone could see them. She could see the city bustling in the distance and the faint shouts of merchants calling out their wares. The scent of salt was sharp on the air and sailors were rushing about the preparing to dock.

The men Doran had sent with them were standing strategically every few feet along the railing of the ship not facing or looking at Elia and the twins at all but she knew they would be ready to jump into action at a moment's notice.

Oberyn was standing several feet away with Jaime and the two men were conferring quietly amongst themselves.

It was hard to look at the blonde for too long without smiling as he was also wearing a wig. It wasn't black but rather a soft brown which framed his emerald eyes quite well. He also didn't look nearly as uncomfortable in it as Aegon looked in his but that was probably just because he was hiding it well.

Elia realized then with a start that she was staring and blinked before looking down once more at her son who looked suspiciously guilty as if he had been itching again once she had looked away.

"Aegon," she said with measured calmness which she thought was quite impressive. "Why did I tell you that you needed to wear that?"

The four year old looked down at his feet. "So no one would tell who I am."

"Exactly," Elia replied quietly. "And why is that important?"

"Because people might try and hurt me."

"Correct," Elia said crisply as she looked back out to the shoreline once more.

"But why doesn't Rhae have to – "

"Your sister doesn't have to wear a disguise because she already looks like an Essosi naturally. You with your golden hair would stick out like a sore thumb. I told you that you may take off the wig when we reach the home of magister Illyrio and see your grandmother."

"Will Vis be there too?" Her son asked.

"Yes he will," Elia replied a little surprised that her son had some memory of his Uncle. Naturally the twins would never have that sort of relationship with Viserys but they would be playmates all the same and grow up together as they should have done in the capital.

The one good thing in this entire mess was that Rhaenys would never have to marry Viserys. Elia hoped that the tradition of inbreeding had died with Aerys.

Her children deserved to be children for a while, any sort of marriage alliance could wait for at least another ten years.

And speaking of marriage alliances, Doran had pulled her aside a mere hour before they were to set sail and quietly suggested to her that perhaps such a union would be beneficial for her as well.

This of course had caused the princess to laugh but she had stopped when she realized her brother was not jesting.

She had then questioned his sanity in suggesting such a ludicrous notion. Who would marry her after all. She was a widow in exile for all intents and purposes with two children, used goods so to speak. Who would want her?

Doran just looked at her very carefully as if saying without words that he knew something she didn't. And that was when Elia began to wonder.

He finally capped off their discussion by saying that there were valuable allies to be made in Essos that were not just military unions.

Then he had walked off leaving Elia to stare after him in bewilderment. As a result of that discussion she had forced herself to believe that he wasn't serious and the whole thing had been a joke.

Except for the fact that Doran didn't joke about anything.

After that she had simply put it out of her mind, thinking about her children and the extended family she was going to see instead.

Speaking of that family, her thoughts were broken into when she turned to find Jaime and Oberyn come up on either side of her.

"Have you see him yet?" Oberyn asked quietly.

"The magister?" Elia asked. "No but I have been looking. I might have had more time to look had this one here not been fussing about his attire."

Oberyn looked down at his nephew with a grin who was squirming underneath his mother's hands on his shoulders.

"I have not seen him yet either," Jaime muttered, "but I can't see the man being very conspicuous given that he is involved in this intricate scheme."

Elia narrowed her eyes towards the shoreline again, intent on finding the magister before they docked and had no idea what to do.

The harbour they were drawing nearer and dearer to was as bustling and full of people as the city beyond it and Elia knew if she didn't know who to look for she would never find him.

It was a truly beautiful day with not a cloud in the sky and a brilliant sun turning the ocean almost into a sea of glass. A gentle breeze was blowing that lifted the brunette's hair off of her shoulders giving her momentary relief from the heat. She had thought Dorne was hot but it was nothing compared to the warmth of the Essosi sun. Glancing down at her bare shoulders the princess was suddenly very glad she had worn a sleeveless dress.

Aegon squirmed underneath her hands and she sighed. "My love why don't you go over to the railing with your Uncle where you sister is and watch the ships coming in?"

The blonde masquerading as a brunette appeared to think for a moment and then nodded albeit grudgingly. "Okay."

Oberyn threw her a cheeky smile to which she wished she could stick her tongue out at him, but it would hardly be becoming.

She observed that Jaime's eyes though glancing back and forth across the shoreline had never left her daughter for long and they only were drawn back to her once her brother and son had joined the little girl at the railing.

"Are you nervous Jaime?" She asked.

"Nervous my Lady?" The disguised blonde asked as he proceeded to gaze back and forth across the harbour with the practiced practiced precision of a kingsguard. "Not at all, why do you ask?"

"Because you haven't taken your eyes off of Rhaenys since she announced that she wanted to go and watch the boats. She is quite well, I assure you. I trust the men my brother has sent with us to watch over my children."

"Then your trust is warranted my lady," the knight replied. "But let us say that mind is not yet."

Elia frowned. "We are far safer now than we were in Dorne Jaime. Part of me still wishes we were there but there would always be a chance of us being found out. I did not want to be a prisoner in my own home. If Baratheon had discovered our ruse what would stop him from declaring war against Dorne until he had wiped out the last remaining Targaryens?"

Jaime glanced at her and raised an eyebrow before looking back towards the shoreline. "I am assuming his allies. "Prince Doran informed me that he believes Lord Arryn would have been looking for peace in spite of a revelation of the survival of the prince and princess no matter what Baratheon wanted. I don't know him well at all but from what little I heard from the Trident, he has an insatiable appetite for violence. A man like that will not be a good king. After a war, the last thing anyone wants is more war. Baratheon was Arron's ward and Arryn would have known this. So he would have sued for peace even if he had known that the royal children survived."

The whole time they were speaking both were barely moving their lips so they would not be overheard.

Doran had constructed an elaborate ruse before they had boarded the ship. In the early morning when the streets of Sunspear were still silent he had divided his sister and her party into three groups and sent them down to the docks in three different directions bearing a letter for a captain he had handpicked himself. That letter claimed that Elia was a noble lady from Pentos who had gone to visit her sister in Dorne and would be returning without delay to Essos. The twins were her children of course given that Aegon was disguised so no one would think to call it into question.

He had separated the party in such a way so that any person who did wake and who happened to look out the window would merely see a small group of people riding past as opposed to a large party. The last thing they needed was for gossip to spread before the arrival of the new Hand of the King.

His instructions were to deliver them to Pentos and as soon as the trunks and men and company were placed upon the docks, he was to leave.

It was as air tight as they could make it and Elia was certain that her brother's eyes and ears would be open searching for any and all threats in the next few years to come. He would also search for signs of dissatisfaction among the greater houses on account of Baratheon's rule. That would be something they could use to their advantage.

"Do you think there would have been no danger of Baratheon coming after them?" Elia asked as she glanced towards her children who were standing on either side of her brother in quiet conversation.

"No," the blonde replied. "But I don't know anything at this point. We are in uncharted territory. You weren't supposed to have survived the capital, the prince and princess weren't supposed to have survived. I believe I know my father well enough to know that he would have wanted sweep away any and all claimants to the throne and if he were to learn of your survival, it would call into question the legitimacy claims of any children my sister has with Baratheon."

They collectively bristled at the knowledge of this but both for very different reasons. Elia had never liked Cersei Lannister. She was a spiteful vengeful girl who always thought herself better than others. Of course given who her father was it was no wonder she had turned out like him.

But how was it that Jaime was so different? He could be arrogant to be sure but at the same time, it was an arrogance that wasn't blind. Elia fervently believed that whatever arrogance Jaime had it was a tool for him instead of a personality trait like it was for his sister.

He carried it like a shield in order to protect himself and though Elia suspected she knew some of the things he was defending against, she also knew that that knowledge didn't scratch the surface of all the weight Jaime Lannister carried around with him.

They had spent uncounted hours together in the at few years, how was it that this sort of knowledge had never come up between them?

 _Because it would have been highly inappropriate,_ a stern voice said deep within her. _You were married to another man and Jaime was sworn to protect you, not your heart, not your emotions, nothing. The ramifications should the king have found something like that out would have been catastrophic. He probably would have tortured and killed Jaime and made you watch while he was doing it._

That thought suddenly made her feel ill and acidic bile rose in her throat causing Elia to have to swallow hard.

 _Enough,_ that same stern voice said. _Nothing happened, nothing was discovered and the king is dead and buried as he should be. We are looking forward not back._

"I believe that I have found our elusive magister."

Elia blinked and turned back to the knight beside her. "Where is he?"

Instead of pointing Jaime nodded to the left side of the harbour where there was a street vendors stall erected. Just beyond the harbour was the marketplace but this stall was arrange just on the border between both. The vendor appeared to be selling exotic dyed clothes and was in the process of arranging his wares. There was a cloth wrapped about his head and his eyes had not looked up at the ship at all since it had begun its docking procedures.

Standing just behind him was another man. He had situated himself in the shade of the stall just out of the sunlight. His hands were folded at his waist just atop the tan coloured robe he was wearing and his head was covered with a scarf as well as his mouth and nose as if to block the wind from his face.

Elia was just about to ask what on earth made Jaime think that this was the magister they were to stay with when the man reached up and removed the veil from his mouth and nose.

It was then that she saw the markings on his hands. Doran had told her that when he was a boy, before she and Oberyn had been born he had taken a trip with their father to Pentos to conduct some business on behalf of their princess mother where he had met the then much younger magister.

As a boy there weren't many things that Doran remembered about him but the intricate markings of strange eastern permanent paint on his hands. It was black and covered the backs of his hands from his wrists to his finger tips.

Even though Rhaella had written about this exact detail to Doran so he would tell Elia what to look for, it still amazed her how fast Jaime had picked out that detail amongst a crowd of people and she told him so.

The blonde gave her a bit of a smirk that surprised her. "I might not be a kingsguard anymore my lady but my eyes are still as good as ever. Better I think than most."

Elia almost wanted to cry. Jaime had been so serious and brooding lately that it was good to see him smile and joke. She wondered what he had been in such close counsels about with her brother leading up to their departure from Dorne but he hadn't said and she had decided not to ask.

"What shall we do?" Elia asked. "Shall we greet him or shall we wait for him to greet us."

"You shall remain on the ship under the guard of Ser Jaime," the voice of Oberyn suddenly broke in nearly startling the life out of her. "I will approach our ambiguous magister with our brothers letter and secure our landing."

Without a word he left the two of them and strode over to the captain, exchanging a few words before the gangplank was lowered and striding down it.

"I do hope my brother remains conspicuous while he's here," Elia said privately to Jaime. "He May jump in to defend me whenever I need it but subtlety is not always his strong suit."

To her surprise her words were greeted with a quiet snort of laughter from the blonde knight. "Somehow I think Prince Oberyn will be on his best behaviour my lady."

Elia opened her mouth to reply but was interrupted and nearly knocked sideways when the twins flew at her.

"Did you see the harbour Mama?" Aegon gushed. "Isn't it big? It's bigger than the harbour in Dorne!"

Elia looked sharply at her son as if to chastise his volume but was beaten to it by Rhaenys who narrowed her eyes at her twin and then smacked him on the back of his head. "Don't talk so loud people might hear us!"

Elia pressed a fist to her mouth to keep from laughing at her daughter's disciplinary attitude. She obviously took being the older sibling seriously and felt that chastising her brother was in her mother's best interests as well as hers.

"Ow!" Aegon cried grabbing at the back of his head where his sister had hurt him. "That hurt!"

"Good," Rhaenys retorted. "Maybe next time you'll do what Mama tells you to do so I won't have to do it."

Aegon glared at the tiny brunette and may have been about to say something nasty when Jaime cleared his throat and saved Elia from having to resolve an argument.

"Have you seen the ship of war over to your right my lord?" He asked of Aegon and immediately the little blonde's attention was diverted. "No! Where is it?"

"Right over there," Jaime said point over to the right side of the ship. "They are hanging shields on the side of it."

Aegon stood on the very top of his toes to get a glimpse but when it became obvious that he still couldn't see, Jaime surprised Elia by picking her son up and setting him atop his armoured shoulders.

Aegon squealed first with surprise and then with delight before wrapping his tiny hands around Jaime's neck so he wouldn't fall off. The two of them carried on their conversation about the ship of war pulling up alongside them but Elia was no longer listening. She was too fixated on the picture her son and Jaime created.

The taller blonde had picked up the little boy and set him on his shoulders as if it were a completely natural thing to do and Aegon appeared to love.

All of a sudden it was two years ago and Elia remembered being struck dumb when her two year old daughter had accidentally but innocently called Jaime her father. That had been the first time the twins had seen him in any sort of paternal role but it certainly hadn't been the last.

In many ways she was certain her children saw Jaime as more of a father figure than Rhaegar. It had made her both sad and afraid. They had certainly never connected with Rhaegar in that way and she had been terrified that Aerys might pick up on that and do something dreadful.

Nothing had come of it and now the two men who had caused her the most pain in the world were dead which only contributed to her relief that they were getting as far away from the capital as possible.

Now though she just felt confused about it. Was it a good idea for the twins to remain so close to Jaime or for Jaime to remain so close to them? He had a special connection with them that she truly didn't understand but the fostering of it had helped soften the knight some. He had been so bitter and angry since coming to the capital years earlier that she worried he and become utterly jaded.

Now however, now he was somewhat distant and she didn't know why. There was something he wasn't telling her, she was sure of it.

But just then her attention was diverted by the presence of Oberyn who had strode back onto the ship with purpose and right up to her.

"Was that the magister?" She asked.

He nodded. "Come. The arrangements have been made. And the magister has informed me that there are some guests residing with him that are eagerly awaiting your and the twins arrival."

 _Rhaella….._

Elia felt her heart eagerly quicken in anticipation at the thought of seeing her goodmother again as well as Viserys and his new siblings. Suddenly the letter in her pocket seemed to become even heavier.

"Well then what are we waiting for?" She said taking a deep breath and waving Jaime and Aegon over from the side of the ship. "I am more than ready to get off this boat."

Ω

Elia was certain her heart had been beating three times as fast as normal since she had come down the street. She had been wearing a veil since she had descended from the ship covering all of her mouth and nose. It had been partially to keep out the wind and mostly to keep anyone from seeing her face. She also knew that she was going to have to wear it every time she went out. Veils were more common in Dorne where the sand was prone to blowing but there was always a hot wind blowing in from the sea so she could use that as an excuse.

Rhaenys was also wearing a veil and had her head covered though she was constantly fussing with it. She had had to keep it in place since they had docked and left the ship so her taunting of her brother had ceased. Now both were equally uncomfortable.

Elia was also uncomfortable but for a wholly different reason.

He had had a litter nearby for them after their party had greeted the magister but Elia had not liked what she had seen.

 _This is the man my family is staying with?_ She thought to herself in bewilderment. _How is he a part of Lord Varys' plan?_

Illyrio Mopatis was an immensely fat man with meaty fists, hanging jowls and a pair of breasts that the finest whores in King's Landing would be envious of. He had a long forked yellow beard that he had stroked no less than a dozen times since he had spoken to them and judging by the curling of his lower lip, Oberyn had been less than impressed as well.

But he seemed to know what he was doing and once Elia and the children were cloaked and hidden in the litter she felt better. All of these cloak and dagger tactics made her uncomfortable but she knew even if she had stayed in Dorne, the same technique would have been employed. It would have been worse in some ways because there were many there who knew her. At least in Pentos she would have some anonymity.

But at the moment she was sitting in the litter waiting anxiously to meet the other woman cloaked in anonymity whom she hadn't seen in months.

Peeking through the curtains of the litter, Elia gazed at the houses they passed with some trepidation. Though she had grown up in a palace, the houses at the very heart of Pentos were enormous.

She knew Illyrio Mopatis to be a wealthy man, but the amount of rings he had had on his fingers when he had kissed her hand was only one indicator of how much.

"Mama are we almost there?" Aegon complained from his place next to his sister. "I'm hot."

"Hush sweetling," The princess said absently. "It won't be long now."

"When are we going to see grandmother?" Rhaenys asked somewhat excitedly.

"Soon my love," Elia muttered absently. "Very soon."

Thankfully they didn't continue to press her and she went back to biting down on the edge of her thumb nail, a habit that had come out of the woodwork since she had arrived in Dorne.

She absently wished Jaime was in the litter and not marching beside it along with Oberyn and the rest of the men her brother had brought with them. Illyrio also had a contingent of Unsullied brought with him from his home which made their retinue even larger.

The streets of Pentos were even wider than King's Landing and the stink was very much less. She could hear the hum of the crowd outside of the curtained windows of the litter as people rushed up and down the street, some going to the harbour, others to the markets.

Peeking her head through the curtains Elia could see that they were beginning to reach center of the city. She was seeing more and more Unsullied and less and less of the common folk.

A moment later the littler came to a halt and the curtain of beads was pulled aside slightly allowing her to see Oberyn's face.

"We are here sister," he said quietly and then cast a smile over her shoulder at Nym who was also sitting in the litter playing some sort of puzzle game with Aegon.

The princess peeked her head out from the beaded curtains and gazed at the house. It certainly was large with its wide front stone steps. She realized how quiet it was and noted that they had left the Main Street to come up a short path lined with two stone walls about shoulder height. Even more prevalent now was the sound of the ocean. The house was two stories and had a bright red door with a silver knocker in the middle.

She could see the drop off of the cliff several hundred yards away and envisioned herself standing on the edge of it for a moment looking down into the ocean.

There were several trees lining the edge of the house catching the wind and knocking the leaves together making a hollow wooden sound. Looking up at the sky over head Elia closed her eyes and let the wind rustle her hair.

Though she may have been wary of their host, she could deny that his house was beautiful and that it would be a comfortable place to stay. At least for now.

 _I can't imagine us staying for very long,_ she thought to herself. _After all in order to keep up this ruse we need to keep moving. Varys will be feeding the new king false information I'm sure but that doesn't mean we can become complacent. Rhaella will know this as well._

But just as the face of her good mother came to mind there was a creaking sound and the princess's head snapped up.

She was quite thankful that the house where they would be staying was outside of the city and down a narrow to the cliffside. It was reasonably secluded so perhaps her children would not have to wear their wigs. She was also quite glad that no one else but the members of the household would see the figure coming through the door of that house.

Stepping over the threshold was a familiar figure whom Elia had not seen from months. She was dressed in a purple sleeveless gown the same shade as her eyes. It appeared to be pure silk and was as wispy as her silvery blonde hair that hung in loose curls down her back. She appeared as youthful as Elia had ever seen her and the lines of stress and fatigue that had so clearly been visible around her eyes had all but vanished. In fact she appeared almost ten years younger.

But the clear look on her face and in her eyes was nothing compared to the expression that came upon her when she and Elia locked eyes.

Elia was barely aware when Jaime helped her down from the litter, all she saw was her goodmother standing on the steps of the house and trembling like a leaf.

With her own unsteady steps, Elia fairly stumbled towards the former queen, not registering that her hands had reached out in front of her.

The blonde came down the steps on wobbling feet reaching for Elia at the same time the brunette reached for her.

Tears were coursing down Rhaella's face in silvery tracks and she made no move to wipe them away. Elia felt the arms of the woman who had become her second mother come around her and gripped her for dear life as if never wanting to let go.

Rhaella's shoulders were shaking as the two women embraced and Elia knew she wasn't much better herself.

"You're here, you're finally here," the blonde was murmuring over and over again. Her words seemed to keep flowing but for once Elia had none. She was beyond speechless with relief as the two women held each other in a tight embrace.

It was only after a substantial amount of time had elapsed that the princess was able to raise her face from her mother in law's shoulder and realize that there was someone tugging at the hem of her dress.

She looked down to find Aegon standing there with a quizzical expression on his face.

Before she could say anything, Rhaella let out a sob upon seeing her grandson and lifted the heir to the throne into her arms, holding him even tighter if possible than Elia.

"My grandson," she kept saying between tears, "my grandson."

"Mama?"  
Elia blinked and reluctantly tore her eyes away from the tender scene between her son and the queen mother to look back at the litter to see Rhaenys standing there looking very uncertain. She was holding onto Jaime's hand and her uncle was standing next to her with a wry smile on his face.

A wind blew then Elia felt the moisture on her face chill her skin. She quickly wiped the tears away and gestured to her daughter. "Come here sweetling, your grandmother's waited a long time to see you."

And though she looked uncertain, the small brunette walked over. What amused Elia the most was that she fairly dragged Jaime over as she walked followed by a smirking Oberyn with the small figures of Nym and Obara in tow who were looking around with wide eyes.

Rhaella finally put down a squirming Aegon and reached for her granddaughter who was looking more than a little shy.

She glanced up at Jaime as if wondering whether or not it was safe to go forward and when he nodded, only then did she let go of his hand and step up to the queen mother.

"Thank you," Elia whispered to Jaime as the two stood a step back. .

He frowned at her. "For what my lady?"

She sighed. "For being one of the few people that Rhaenys trusts. She trusts you absolutely and I wouldn't have it any other way. Thank you for being there for her."

A curious look entered the blonde's green eyes. He didn't say anything at first and for once the cocky look on his face was not there. Instead he just nodded and glanced back at Rhaenys in Rhaella's arms, watching her carefully. "It is an honor to serve my lady."

Elia frowned at him and opened her mouth to reply when Oberyn's hand landed on her shoulder. She turned to face and smiled when she saw the easy grin on his face. "Are you feeling better now sister?"

"Much," she replied. "Baratheon's arm will have grown long indeed if he thinks he can reach us here."

"He would have to be aware pf your existence my lady and the existence of the royal children," Jaime said quietly. "And now as far as we are aware he is drinking and whoring his way through King's Landing wearing a crown."

Oberyn snorted at the joke but was interrupted before he could say anything by the queen mother who had caught sight of the blonde former member of the Kingsguard.

"Ser Jaime," she said softly an almost awestruck look in her eyes.

The knight bowed somewhat stiffly. "Your grace.

And then what Rhaella did next surprised them all. She stepped forward and placed both hands on the side of Jaime's face before kissing both of his cheeks. "Thank you. You are the only surviving member of the Kingsguard to truly embody its name and bring my good daughter and grand children to safety. Your loyalty and courage will not be forgotten."

And then she said something else that Elia didn't quite catch but from the wide eyes on the knight she could tell it had surprised Jaime.

Finally she took a step back and looked over at all of them. "My family is complete. The gods have been merciful to us on this day."

Then she glanced at Elia and smiled. "Now if you would come with me my dear, there are two "small souls I want you to meet."

Ω

"Oh Rhaella," Elia breathed. "They are so beautiful."

After their party had all come inside the house, Jaime and Oberyn had gone off to confer with Magister Illyrio about the security of the estate and Rhaella had led her daughter and grandchildren down the hall to a small room painted blue with a large window overlooking the ocean.

Sitting just beneath that window was an elevated small bed in which two small babes were resting.

As soon as she saw them Elia wanted to weep for she knew these were the twins that her good mother had birthed amid salt, smoke and tears on the terrible crossing from Westeros.

They both had tufts of pale blonde hair scattered across their fair heads and their eyes were as big and violet as the twins.

"I can't help but wonder when I look at them what Aerys would say if he saw them now," the queen mother said as she reached down a hand and trailed a finger across one of the babes' cheeks. "He was so obsessed with strengthening our lines and it enraged him that after Viserys the maester told him it was doubtful we would have more. And now two more have been added."

Elia didn't really want to think about Aerys. His chapter in this family had ended when he died in that fire. But she couldn't say anything that heartless so she just nodded. "I'm certain he would be very pleased."

Rhaella sighed. "Not that it matters I suppose. Both he and Rhaegar are gone but I wonder what they would think of us now."

This time Elia couldn't restrain a grimace and it was to her detriment that Rhaella saw it. An apologetic look came over her mother in law's face. "Oh my dear I didn't mean to – "

The brunette raised a hand to stop her. "It's alright. He was your son, you have more of a right to talk about him than anyone else."

Rhaella sighed. "I may have loved him but what he did towards the end of his life was inexcusable. I never wished any of that for you my darling. I hope you know that."

Elia blinked hard. "Of course I do."

Rhaella glanced back down at her children. "And now there are two more Targaryens who will never know what it is like to grow up in a palace as princes and princesses. But I have higher hopes for Daeron and Daenerys than even Rhaegar. They will not follow the path their father and brother took."

"And now that we are here that path is wide open to be determined," Elia said moving towards less emotional topics.

"Indeed," Rhaella replied a familiar fire returning to her violet eyes. "And we have already begun meeting with several people here in Essos who will hopefully aid us in our journey back to the throne."

"You have?" Elia asked in surprise. "And who might that be?"

"His name is Jon Connington," Rhaella replied lowering her voice. "And he has been sent by Lord Varys to aid in the Targaryen restoration. "It will be some years yet before we can gather an army and set sail across the sea but it is coming my dear. My grandson will sit on the throne. And then we will have what is ours with fire and blood."

Ω

 **Sorry about the abysmally long wait everyone, I had finals to finish up as well as a serious case of writer's block. Next chapter will feature Jaime as well as an interesting surprise. Dont forget to review!**


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